HC raps security gaps after firecracker scare at Jabalpur court

Bhopal/Jabalpur: The MP high court on Tuesday voiced concern over a firecracker incident at the district court in Jabalpur a day ago, flagging it as a security lapse. Hearing a suo motu petition on judicial security, a division bench of justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Vinay Saraf, asked the state govt to submit a status report on steps taken to ensure adequate protection for judges.Panic spread through the district and sessions court complex on Monday afternoon when a loud, blast-like sound was heard near Court Number 2, close to the Chief Judicial Magistrate's chamber, sending lawyers, litigants and staff scrambling.The proceedings are part of an ongoing case on security for judges and their families, which stems from the 2016 incident in Mandsaur where civil judge Rajvardhan Gupta was manhandled on a highway. The high court had then ordered an inquiry, leading to the present petition.The court had issued directions in the past for the purpose including construction of a boundary wall in all the courts, establishing police posts in all the court premises and adequate security arrangements in the residential colonies of judges. During hearing of the petition on Tuesday, counsel for the state government said that action for compliance of court's directions have begun. tnn