Law Students Face Judicial Custody Over Supreme Court Disruption
In a recent legal development, the Patiala House Court in Delhi has ordered that two law students, Prabal Pratap Singh and Chander Bhan, remain in judicial custody for 14 days. This decision follows their involvement in a case concerning the disruption of proceedings in the Supreme Court of India, where they were accused of using abusive language toward judges. The court’s ruling came after the expiration of their initial two-day police custody, as reported by PTI.
The incident, which occurred on July 10, involved Prabal Pratap Singh, a third-year student, and Chander Bhan, a second-year student, both from Lucknow University. They were arrested earlier this week by the Delhi Police. The disruption took place in the presence of Justices KV Viswanathan and Alok Aradhe, as Singh, appearing as a petitioner-in-person, interrupted court proceedings by hurling abusive language and throwing case files within the courtroom. He also directed insults toward the Chief Justice of India before being removed by security personnel.
Initially, the Supreme Court chose not to pursue immediate action against Singh. However, following a statement from the Supreme Court’s security staff, a formal complaint was lodged at the Tilak Marg police station. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the two students.
Following their arrest, both students underwent a medical examination at the Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), where they were declared mentally sound. Additionally, police recovered several pamphlets from their possession, which contained objectionable content. With the conclusion of their police remand, Singh and Bhan are set to remain in judicial custody until their next court appearance scheduled for July 29.
The case highlights the challenges faced by the judiciary in maintaining decorum within courtrooms and ensuring that legal proceedings are conducted with respect and order.
