New DelhiThe CJI-led bench took the matter on board, directed the Delhi Police to file a status report on the ongoing investigation and whether any action was taken on a subsequent complaint by the victim about the threat received from the accused a day later. (HT Archive)The Supreme Court on Tuesday stepped in to provide protection to a Delhi-based lawyer who was reportedly assaulted at his home last week and sought a status report from the Delhi Police over allegations that the victim was threatened to withdraw a case he had filed against his politically influential assailants.A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant passed the order on an urgent mention by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president and senior advocate, Vikas Singh, alleging that the police were not undertaking a fair probe despite the lawyer, Pankaj Sharma, suffering grievous injuries to his head.Highlighting that an FIR was registered on July 11, immediately in the aftermath of the assault, at the Model Town police station, Singh said, “He is a Supreme Court lawyer staying in Delhi having 11 years practice. If this is what happens to him, how will a common citizen be safe?”Singh said that even as Sharma suffered eight stitches to his head and an FIR was registered, the assailants returned the next day to threaten him again.The CJI-led bench took the matter on board, directed the Delhi Police to file a status report on the ongoing investigation and whether any action was taken on a subsequent complaint by the victim about the threat received from the accused a day later. The court directed the report to be filed by an officer not below the rank of deputy commissioner of police and posted the matter for Thursday. At the same time, the bench directed the police to ensure no harm is caused to the victim, considering the serious nature of the allegations.Attorney general R Venkataramani, who was present in court, described the incident as “serious” and shared the concerns expressed by the SCBA president. He urged the court to issue notice on the petition and seek response from the Delhi Police.The petition filed by Sharma states that the police initially refused to register an FIR. Even when the FIR was registered later, it was registered under offences of simple assault and house trespass, despite the fact that the injuries were life-threatening.The petition read, “The Delhi Police under the influence of the accused, who is close to a local politician, is neither taking suitable action against the culprits nor providing security to the petitioner, though the accused again tried to assault the petitioner and his family members on July 12.”The petition states that the incident highlights a “systemic failure”, where the action of the law enforcement agencies is under cloud in a case of targeted violence against an officer of the court.Sharma said that the investigating officer ought to have invoked the appropriate provisions relating to attempt to murder and grievous hurt against the accused under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 117 and 118(2)(grievous hurt by dangerous weapons) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.The SCBA passed a resolution condemning the assault and issued a letter on July 13 to the Delhi Police commissioner, seeking action against the alleged perpetrators and protection for the petitioner. Despite the SCBA’s intervention, the police failed to take action, the petition alleged.The police inaction directly violated the petitioner’s Right to Life and Personal Liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, Sharma contended in the petition, as he sought the court’s intervention to direct authorities to take suitable action.