Row over road space: Agra judge shifted for making cop ‘take off uniform in court’

“After coming to know about the matter, I got a preliminary inquiry done. Later, I forwarded the report to the Registrar General of Allahabad High Court and Agra District Judge,” said Kumar, adding that a copy of the report was forwarded to DGP Om Prakash Singh.
He said circle officer, Achhnera area, Namrita Srivastava, was asked to conduct a detailed inquiry and get statements of the constable and others recorded.

Station Officer (SO), Malpura police station, Mahesh Singh Yadav, said that on Friday around 11. 50 am, they were informed through police control room that a police constable-and-driver had taken off his uniform inside the court of Juvenile Justice Board. The message was sent to the police control room by a local resident, added the SO.

“I went to the juvenile home where court of Juvenile Justice Board is located. I entered the courtroom to find 58-year-old constable, Ghure Lal standing inside with his uniform’s shirt, cap and the belt removed. I collected details with the court staff and later spoke to ACJM Santosh Kumar Yadav. He was angry over the police constable not giving way to his car despite the driver blowing horn repeatedly in a bid to overtake,” said the officer.

He said, “Later, on a request, ACJM ordered constable to wear the uniform and the accessories and allowed to leave the court room after issuing a warning. In the meantime, Srivastava also reached the court.” Srivastava told The Sunday Express that the police constable told them that he and three other police constables were escorting an inmate of Agra district jail to be produced before the court of Juvenile Justice Board.

“Ghurelal was driving the police van… The vehicle had reached near Juvenile Home when a car coming from behind blew horn to overtake. Ghurelal told us that since it was a narrow passage, there was no space to give way for a vehicle to overtake, but the car driver was blowing horn repeatedly,” said Srivastava.

“Ghurelal said that as he got down of the police van, the car’s driver walked up to him and said the magistrate had called him inside the court,” said the CO. “Ghurelal said when he reached the courtroom, the magistrate scolded him for not giving way to his car. Ghurelal said the magistrate also threatened to take away his job and asked him to remove his uniform and keep standing inside the courtroom.”