NOTICE TO COP FOR RECORDING COURT ROOM PROCEEDINGS

NEWDELHI: The Delhi High Court has sought the response of a police inspector on a contempt plea initiated by a trial court judge after he was found videorecording proceedings at a Rohini courtroom.

A bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued notice to inspector Deepak Malik after additional chief metropolitan magistrate (ACMM) Ekta Gauba wrote to Delhi high court to take action against the police officer.

According to the letter sent by the ACMM, Malik was found recording court proceedings during the hearing of a case on October 20. When confronted, the inspector, posted at Maurya Enclave, allegedly refused to admit his mistake. A person was called from the computer branch to open the inspector’s mobile phone. When the cell phone was unlocked, three recordings were found on his phone.

The recordings included the presence of the investigating officer, the SHO of the Maurya enclave police station. He recorded whatever the judge was dictating to the stenographer.

The most striking part in the recording was the “privilege communication” between accused Firoz and his lawyer Dezy Rekha.

Taking note of the letter, the high court converted it into a contempt petition and sought to know the stand of the police officer. The matter will now be heard on January 8, 2019.