HC issues notice to former prosecutor on judge's petition

NEW DELHI:  The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to a former public prosecutor on a petition filed by a sitting civil judge for quashing of a trial court's order on registration of an FIR against him following a complaint by the advocate.

On a petition filed by civil judge Jai Prakash Narain, Justice AK Sikri has issued notice to Anjali Bhardwaj, former Additional Public Prosecutor in one one of the courts at Tis Hazari, for lodging a criminal complaint against Narain for allegedly trespassing into her Panchsheel Enclave house in south Delhi.

Narain in the petition has sought High Court's intervention and grant of stay on the order passed last month by a metropolitan magistrate directing the police to register a criminal case against the judge for committing the offence.

He stated that the Magistrate cannot direct the investigating agency to register an FIR without the prior sanction of the Higher Judiciary.

The petitioner judge also contended that Bhardwaj's criminal complaint was very "cleverly worded" as nowhere his full name was disclosed in the complaint.

He even alleged that the Magistrate failed to apply his mind before passing the order and sought a stay on the execution of the order.

Narain also alleged that she was trying to settle her personal scores with him as he and his wife were examined by an enquiry headed by a High Court Judge in a case against her.