The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a series of attacks and thefts targeting advocates, expressing concern over their safety and directing the Chandigarh and Punjab Police to submit detailed status reports on pending investigations.
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CHANDIGARH: Expressing serious concern over the safety of members of the legal fraternity, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a series of attacks and thefts allegedly targeting advocates, noting the apparent lack of effective police action in several such cases.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry has sought status reports from the Chandigarh Police and the Punjab Police after being apprised of multiple incidents where advocates were victims of serious crimes and investigations have either remained incomplete or failed to result in meaningful recovery.
The court’s intervention followed a detailed representation submitted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA). In a letter addressed to the Chief Justice, PHHCBA Secretary Gagandeep Jammu highlighted what he described as a disturbing pattern of crimes against advocates and alleged investigative apathy on the part of law enforcement agencies.
The Bar Association emphasised that despite the gravity of the offences and, in several cases, the identification of suspects, the investigations have made little progress, raising serious concerns about the rule of law and the safety of legal professionals.
Drawing attention to specific cases, the Bar Association referred to the murder and robbery involving the family of Krishan Kumar Goyal, Advocate and former Honorary Secretary of the Association. According to the representation, Goyal’s wife was murdered and substantial quantities of gold, silver, and cash were looted.
While the accused have reportedly been arrested, the Bar pointed out that a significant portion of the stolen property remains unrecovered, calling into question the thoroughness and fairness of the ongoing investigation.
The second incident cited involved a daylight theft at the residence of Jasmeet Singh Bhatia, Advocate and former Secretary of the Association. An FIR was registered by the Chandigarh Police on December 25, 2025. Despite the accused being identified with full particulars, the Bar Association stated that no arrests or recoveries have been made for nearly a month.
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The third incident involved a theft at the Mohali residence of Advocate Vishal Handa. The Bar noted that even after almost four months, and despite the identification of the accused, the Mohali Police have failed to make any arrest or effect recovery of stolen property.
Taking note of the concerns raised, the High Court sought detailed status reports from the concerned police authorities, signalling judicial scrutiny into the alleged investigative lapses and the broader issue of safety and security of advocates.
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