The Delhi High Court has directed the city police to urgently process the security request of former Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) president Ronak Khatri, who has alleged that he received death threats and an extortion demand of ₹5 crore from an international number linked to a gangster.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja, hearing Khatri’s plea, said it is the State’s constitutional duty to protect the life and liberty of its citizens. “Since the petitioner perceives a threat to his life, the DCP, Outer North, as well as the DCP, Special Cell, is directed to expedite the request made by the petitioner for police protection,” the court ordered.
The judge also instructed that the local beat constable and station house officer (SHO) be counselled to respond immediately to any distress call from Khatri. For the next two weeks, the beat constable has been asked to visit Khatri regularly to ensure his safety.
Khatri, represented by advocates Shaurya Vikram and Obhirup Ghosh, told the court that he has received multiple threat messages from a Ukraine-registered phone number. The sender allegedly claimed to be associated with the Rohit Godara gang, which has been accused in several criminal cases, and threatened to kill him if the demanded amount was not paid.
The plea states that despite the serious nature of the threats, police provided only limited, temporary protection on September 29, which was withdrawn the following day. Khatri said he has since made repeated representations to the Delhi Police seeking reinstatement of security for himself and his family but received no response.
During the hearing, Delhi Police’s standing counsel Sanjay Lao informed the court that Khatri’s security request has been forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), who will assess the threat perception and decide on appropriate action.
Khatri, who served as DUSU president last year, has sought immediate and continuous police protection, citing persistent threats to his life from criminal elements.
