The Supreme Court ordered the immediate release of a Delhi advocate, who alleged illegal arrest and coercion by the Gurugram STF after he exposed custodial assault on a client. Interim protection granted, next hearing next week.
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NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim protection to a Delhi-based advocate who alleged that he was unlawfully arrested and coerced by officers of the Gurugram Special Task Force (STF) for representing clients facing criminal charges.
The petition was mentioned before a Bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, which issued notice and directed that the petitioner be released forthwith upon furnishing bail bonds of ₹10,000.
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Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh expressed concern over the implications of the incident for criminal practitioners.
“Anybody practicing criminal law will now be vulnerable to such actions,”
Singh told the Court, arguing that the police’s conduct amounted to intimidation of lawyers representing accused persons.
He submitted that the advocate had complied with the summons issued by the STF but was subsequently detained and threatened.
“During every conversation, officials told him — ‘Say something against your client, and we’ll spare you arrest.’ They even said, ‘You have to come here and sort it out; these things can’t be sorted on the phone,’”
Singh added.
When CJI asked Singh about the nature of the petitioner’s clients, Singh responded candidly:
“They are all gangster sort of people.”
He went on to narrate that in one of the cases, an accused person’s leg was allegedly broken while in custody.
“I filed an application, and when CCTV footage was sought, the accused withdrew it — but the court viewed the footage and saw him limping,”
Singh told the Bench.
After hearing the submissions, the Court observed that the petitioner, as an advocate, was unlikely to abscond. It noted the allegation that he was taken into custody without being informed of the grounds for his arrest.
The order records that the petitioner alleged communication between police officers of the Gurugram police station and a lawyer connected to the accused persons. The Bench noted the seriousness of the claim and deemed it fit to issue notice.
The Court directed that the petitioner be released forthwith upon furnishing the bail bond and allowed dasti service of notice.
“Since the petitioner is an advocate and not likely to abscond, interim protection should be granted,”
the order reads.
The matter has been listed for further hearing next Wednesday.
Singh, enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi since July 2019, is currently lodged in Faridabad jail.
In his petition, Singh alleged that his arrest was a retaliatory action after he filed an application before a trial court alleging custodial assault on one of his clients, Jyoti Prakash alias “Baba,” who reportedly suffered a leg fracture while in STF custody.
“The retaliatory action by the investigating agency culminated in my illegal arrest,”
the plea stated.
The petition further claimed that Singh was arrested on October 31 without being informed of the grounds of arrest or the presence of independent witnesses, violating Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution.
Case Title:
VIKRAM SINGH V STATE OF HARYANA AND ORS.
W.P.(Crl.) No. 471/2025
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