Delhi HC affirms judicial officers’ right to private and social rights
New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Thursday said that being a judicial officer does not strip an individual of their fundamental, private, and social rights.
The court made the observations while denying bail to a man accused of cheating a woman, who was the sister of a judicial officer, by getting her married to a person she met on a matrimonial website, despite knowing that he was already married.
The court said that a judicial officer, like any other citizen, retains the right to stand by and look after their family. It stated that denial of justice to a judicial officer or their family merely due to their professional role would be unjust and a dismissal of individual rights.
The accused had argued that the complaint was influenced by the fact that the complainant’s brother was a judicial officer. The court rejected this notion, stating that the sister of a judicial officer should not be denied justice or equal opportunities solely because of her familial connection.
The court expressed concern over the accused’s attempt to disclose the identity of the judicial officer, noting that judges, like other members of the community, care about their reputation.
It cautioned against unjustifiably suspecting interference in the judicial system based on occupation without evidence.
The court directed that in cases involving sexual offences, the first page of filings must be accompanied by a certificate from counsel confirming that the complainant’s name has not been mentioned in the body of the petition or annexures.
This directive aligns with existing practice directions aimed at protecting the identity of victims of sexual assault in legal proceedings.