The Delhi High Court has denied anticipatory bail to a lawyer accused in a violent road rage incident, stating that granting such relief in broad daylight violence would convey “wrong signals” to society and tarnish the image of the legal profession.
Justice Girish Kathpalia, while delivering the order, emphasized that all citizens are equal before the law and no individual—irrespective of their profession or influence—should receive preferential treatment. “Granting anticipatory bail in the broad daylight violence of the present nature at a public place would send wrong signals across the society that the aggressor took law in hands and walked free just because he happens to be an advocate,” the court observed.
The case pertains to an incident in February, where the accused lawyer and his brother, reportedly associated with a political organization, allegedly assaulted a software engineer traveling on a two-wheeler along Deoli Road. The victim sustained multiple injuries, including a head wound that, according to the court, could have proved fatal.
While the defense described the incident as a “mere road rage,” the court disagreed, citing CCTV footage that revealed the severity of the attack. Justice Kathpalia noted that “road rage is not mere road rage,” highlighting its broader consequences such as physical harm, psychological trauma, and, in many cases, fatalities.
The court further remarked that the accused—being an advocate and the president of a political group—held positions of responsibility in society and should have acted with greater restraint. “Such relief, if granted to the accused/applicant would also malign the noble profession of advocacy,” the court added.
Given the nature of the assault, the injuries sustained by the victim, and the need for custodial interrogation to recover the weapon used in the attack, the court concluded that the case did not merit pre-arrest bail.
