Lawyers demand suspension of ACP Manasvi Vashishta and the concerned SHO pending an impartial inquiry into the Shahdara police station incident.
BY PC Bureau
NEW DELHI, October 27, 2026: Judicial work across all district courts in Delhi is set to be disrupted on Tuesday as lawyers observe a one-day strike against the Delhi Police over allegations of assault on a fellow advocate and intimidation of lawyers who approached the Shahdara police station to demand action.
The strike was called by the Co-ordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Associations of Delhi following an emergency meeting held through video conference on Monday, October 26. The committee has demanded the immediate suspension of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Manasvi Vashishta and the concerned station house officer (SHO), pending an impartial inquiry into the incident.
The protest follows an assault case involving advocate Lalit Bansal, who allegedly sustained a serious head injury. According to the committee’s account, the handling of the case by the police and subsequent developments at the Shahdara police station triggered widespread resentment among members of the legal fraternity.
Dispute over police action
The matter originated with an FIR registered at Shahdara police station in connection with the alleged assault on Bansal. Advocate Amulya Ratan is reported to be the complainant in the case.
According to the account presented by the lawyers’ coordination committee, several advocates visited the police station on the evening of October 23 to seek action against those allegedly involved in the assault. The ACP and SHO reportedly assured them that the persons named in the case would be arrested.
However, the advocates subsequently learnt that the accused had not been arrested and had reportedly been released, according to the committee’s account. The development prompted lawyers to return to the police station to question the handling of the case and press for accountability.
The situation allegedly escalated during this subsequent interaction. The committee has accused ACP Vashishta of displaying her service revolver and threatening or intimidating the advocates present at the police station.
The allegations have not been independently established. An impartial inquiry would be required to determine the sequence of events and the conduct of the officials and advocates involved.
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All district courts in the national capital, Delhi, will remain closed tomorrow, October 27, 2026. Lawyers have called for a one-day strike against the Delhi Police, and court operations will be suspended for the day. The strike was announced by lawyers from Delhi’s district courts following an incident in which a lawyer was allegedly assaulted in Shahdara.
— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2026
Lawyers seek suspension of police officers
The coordination committee has described the alleged display of a firearm and threats against advocates as a serious matter concerning their safety, dignity and professional independence. It has demanded the suspension of the ACP and the concerned SHO while an impartial inquiry is conducted.
The committee has also expressed concern over the registration of a separate FIR against members of the Bar at Shahdara police station on October 26. The lawyers view the development in the context of the confrontation that followed their efforts to secure action in the original assault case.
The committee has argued that advocates should be able to pursue complaints and seek lawful action without facing intimidation. It has called on members of the legal fraternity to maintain unity and solidarity during the protest.
Copies of the committee’s resolution were sent to senior judicial and police authorities, including the Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, the Delhi Police Commissioner and principal district and sessions judges, seeking their attention to the allegations and demands.
Court work likely to be affected
The one-day abstention from judicial work is expected to affect proceedings across Delhi’s district courts, including hearings in criminal and civil matters. The actual impact will depend on the extent of participation by advocates and the arrangements made by individual courts.
The work stoppage is a collective protest by the legal fraternity rather than a judicial order closing the courts. Litigants and other parties scheduled to appear on Tuesday may face delays, and cases that cannot proceed in the absence of counsel may need to be taken up on another date.
The dispute adds to a history of confrontations between sections of Delhi’s legal community and the police over alleged misconduct, failure to act on complaints and the treatment of advocates. Lawyers have previously resorted to work stoppages to press demands for police action and accountability.
At the centre of the latest protest are two questions: whether the original assault complaint received an appropriate response and whether police officers subsequently acted improperly towards advocates seeking action in the case.
The committee’s demands now place the onus on the police leadership and other competent authorities to examine the competing allegations and establish the facts. The immediate challenge is to resolve the confrontation through a credible inquiry while ensuring that judicial proceedings and the administration of justice are not disrupted beyond the day of protest.
