New Delhi, Nov 30 : A Delhi court on Tuesday let off Delhi High Court Bar Association’s former President Rajiv Khosla with a direction to pay a total compensation of Rs 40,000 to the victim and the state in the 1994 assault case amid a lawyers’ protest in the courtroom.
The court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gajender Singh Nagar had witnessed tumultuous scenes with the supporters of Khosla raising slogans during the course of the hearing.
On October 29, the court had convicted Khosla in the assault case on the complaint of Sujata Kohli, who was a lawyer at Tis Hazari courts in the 1990s and retired last year as a District and Sessions Judge.
During the hearing, Kohli said Khosla has no regard for rule of law.
He loves to abuse the court, she said, asking why he was being allowed to enter the court with several lawyers.
Khosla’s counsel Birender Sangwa alleged that the court was favouring the complainant in all manner, and the complainant took undue advantage of her position after becoming a judge.
After hearing the arguments, the judge directed Khosla to pay a total compensation of Rs 40,000 to the state and the victim.
The conviction of the former apex bar body chief stirred controversy with the Bar Council of Delhi calling a strike in support of Khosla.
On the other hand, the Delhi High Court Women Lawyers Forum had condemned the Co-ordination Committee of the District Court Bar Associations for going on a one-day protest against the recent judgment convicting him.
Later, the Bar Council of India had directed the Bar Council of Delhi to immediately withdraw the call for the strike against the conviction.
The BCD had said that the issue would be discussed by the Coordination Committee with the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, and in case the matter is not resolved to their satisfaction after the meeting, the committee will observe “complete indefinite boycott of the court of the concerned judicial officer”.(IANS)