The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the Delhi Police Commissioner to transfer the investigation of an alleged assault on advocate Pankaj Sharma to the Crime Branch, stating that the severity of the victim’s injuries warrants an attempt-to-murder charge.
A three-judge bench consisting of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana directed the inclusion of Sections 109 and 118 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in the case. Under the BNSS, Section 118 addresses voluntarily causing hurt, while Section 109 permits courts to impound documents. The bench stated that the transfer of the case to the Crime Branch was necessary due to allegations regarding the local police’s conduct during the initial investigation.
Allegations Of Police Inaction And Political Influence
The decision follows a writ petition filed by Sharma, a member of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), detailing a violent attack at his home on July 11, 2026. Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing the petitioner, stated that the assailants beat Sharma so severely that he required eight stitches for head injuries.
According to the petition, Sharma filed an initial complaint for house trespass and hurt, but the attackers returned to his residence the following day to threaten and attempt to assault him and his family again. Sharma alleged that the local police failed to take appropriate action or provide security because the primary accused has close ties to an influential local politician. Singh questioned the state of public safety in the country if a Supreme Court lawyer could be targeted with such impunity.
Prior Directives And Demands For Protection
Before ordering the transfer of the probe, the Supreme Court had demanded a status report on the investigation and ordered authorities to guarantee the safety and liberty of the advocate.
The SCBA had also actively intervened in the matter, calling for an immediate high-level inquiry, the transfer of the investigation to an independent agency, round-the-clock protection for Sharma and his family, and strict legal action against the perpetrators.
