Army officer alleges assault by lawyers in Panchkula court during marital case
An Army officer has accused a lawyer and others of assaulting and confining him during a family court hearing in Panchkula. The case has escalated after police filed an FIR, even as the lawyer levelled a counter-allegation and sought CCTV footage.
Haryana Police have registered an FIR after an Army officer alleged that he was assaulted and wrongfully confined by some lawyers inside the Panchkula district court complex during the hearing of his marital dispute case. The FIR was registered by Panchkula police on Friday against advocate Maninder Singh Bitta on the complaint of Lieutenant Colonel Ashish Chandok.
Chandok alleged that Bitta and his associates misbehaved with him, called more lawyers, assaulted him outside the family court, and later forced him to sign a compromise letter under threat. Bitta denied the allegations on Sunday and said he had himself complained to the police, alleging that the Army officer tried to assault him in the court premises.
According to the FIR, Chandok, who is serving at Chandimandir Military Station in Panchkula, said he and his wife had been living separately for the past one year. He said three cases had been filed against him by his wife at the Panchkula District Courts. In his complaint, Chandok said, "On July 9, during the hearing of my cases at Family Courts Panchkula, opponent counsel Maninder Singh Bitta and his associates misbehaved with me and later on called 10-17 lawyers, who then misbehaved and physically assaulted me outside the courtroom of Family Courts."
He further alleged that Bitta and other lawyers took him hostage in the chamber of another advocate and assaulted him again. Chandok said, "Maninder Singh Bitta and his associates then threatened me to write a raazinama (compromise agreement), else they would not leave me and beat me. Under their threats, they forced me to sign a raazinama, which I was not able to read. I could only see the raazinama was of 5-6 lines." He claimed he was allowed to leave the Panchkula courts only after signing the letter.
Police said Chandok was medically examined at Civil Hospital, Sector 6, Panchkula, and two blunt injuries were found on him. The FIR includes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 115 for voluntarily causing hurt, 117(2) for causing grievous hurt, 127(2) for wrongful confinement, 191(2) for rioting and 351(2) for criminal intimidation.
Bitta rejected Chandok's allegations as baseless. He said, "In fact, I have lodged a complaint with the Panchkula police stating that it was Lt Col Chandok who tried to assault me and even abused me in the court premises. I had approached the police immediately after the incident and submitted a complaint." He also said, "I have also sought footage of the CCTV cameras in the court complex. The procedure takes some time, as the high court's approval is needed before the footage is provided."
Bitta claimed the Army officer may have held a grudge against him because he is the opposing counsel in the marital dispute case. He alleged, "He came from behind and pushed me with an elbow and used abusive language without any provocation." The case now centres on Chandok's complaint of assault and confinement, and Bitta's counter-allegation that the officer was the aggressor.
Haryana Police have registered an FIR after an Army officer alleged that he was assaulted and wrongfully confined by some lawyers inside the Panchkula district court complex during the hearing of his marital dispute case. The FIR was registered by Panchkula police on Friday against advocate Maninder Singh Bitta on the complaint of Lieutenant Colonel Ashish Chandok.
Chandok alleged that Bitta and his associates misbehaved with him, called more lawyers, assaulted him outside the family court, and later forced him to sign a compromise letter under threat. Bitta denied the allegations on Sunday and said he had himself complained to the police, alleging that the Army officer tried to assault him in the court premises.
According to the FIR, Chandok, who is serving at Chandimandir Military Station in Panchkula, said he and his wife had been living separately for the past one year. He said three cases had been filed against him by his wife at the Panchkula District Courts. In his complaint, Chandok said, "On July 9, during the hearing of my cases at Family Courts Panchkula, opponent counsel Maninder Singh Bitta and his associates misbehaved with me and later on called 10-17 lawyers, who then misbehaved and physically assaulted me outside the courtroom of Family Courts."
He further alleged that Bitta and other lawyers took him hostage in the chamber of another advocate and assaulted him again. Chandok said, "Maninder Singh Bitta and his associates then threatened me to write a raazinama (compromise agreement), else they would not leave me and beat me. Under their threats, they forced me to sign a raazinama, which I was not able to read. I could only see the raazinama was of 5-6 lines." He claimed he was allowed to leave the Panchkula courts only after signing the letter.
Police said Chandok was medically examined at Civil Hospital, Sector 6, Panchkula, and two blunt injuries were found on him. The FIR includes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 115 for voluntarily causing hurt, 117(2) for causing grievous hurt, 127(2) for wrongful confinement, 191(2) for rioting and 351(2) for criminal intimidation.
Bitta rejected Chandok's allegations as baseless. He said, "In fact, I have lodged a complaint with the Panchkula police stating that it was Lt Col Chandok who tried to assault me and even abused me in the court premises. I had approached the police immediately after the incident and submitted a complaint." He also said, "I have also sought footage of the CCTV cameras in the court complex. The procedure takes some time, as the high court's approval is needed before the footage is provided."
Bitta claimed the Army officer may have held a grudge against him because he is the opposing counsel in the marital dispute case. He alleged, "He came from behind and pushed me with an elbow and used abusive language without any provocation." The case now centres on Chandok's complaint of assault and confinement, and Bitta's counter-allegation that the officer was the aggressor.
