Woman shot at in Delhi's Saket court, accused arrested

A woman was shot at inside the Saket court in south Delhi on Friday morning. The woman was with an advocate when a person shot her.

New Delhi: The shooter,Kameshwar Kumar Singh, was arrested for allegedly opening fire at a 40-year-old woman who was injured in the incident at Delhi's Saket court on Friday.

Singh was barred from practising law in 2022 following allegations of fraud and threatening another woman, Prem Lata, her lawyer claimed Friday. The woman, an advocate herself, had filed a case under IPC Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) against Singh in 2016 at Mehrauli police station, said Rajesh Tiwari, her lawyer.

Tiwari said his client was getting a building constructed but the builder fraudulently gave the flats to Singh for Rs 70 lakh following which she approached the police. Since then, Singh used to threaten her, Tiwari claimed. The woman then approached the Bar Council of Delhi, which barred Singh from practising law for two years from September 12, 2022 to September 11, 2024.

The Bar Council said in a notice in December last year Singh's licence to practice as an advocate has been suspended for two years on "finding him guilty of gross professional misconduct and other misconduct". "This has emanated from the complaint no. 180/2017 titled Ms Prem Lata, advocate, Vs Mr Kameshwar Kumar Singh, advocate," it said.

Under the Advocates Act, 1961, an advocate may be punished for misconduct by a State Bar Council on receipt of a complaint or otherwise. A "disciplinary committee" of the council, after giving an opportunity of hearing to the advocate concerned, may "suspend" him from practice or even "remove his name" from the state roll of advocates if he is found guilty of professional or other misconduct.

The lawyer claimed that ever since the case is in the court, Singh has been threatening him and his client. The case was scheduled for hearing on Thursday. "On Thursday, my client's case was heard and Kameshwar Singh was in court to attend the hearing. He threatened me even yesterday and said I will see you... I will shoot you... Even during the last hearing which was held on April 12, he had threatened me in front of the judge and warned me from pursuing the case. Even the judge heard it and warned him saying his actual place was in jail but he is out since he got bail," Tiwari said. Next date of hearing in the case is July 13, he said. When asked why he did not file a complaint against Singh despite being threatened multiple times, Tiwari said, "He keeps threatening but I am not afraid of him."

On Friday, Singh fired multiple shots at a woman inside Saket court complex against whom he had filed a case of cheating over a monetary dispute involving Rs 25 lakh and a hearing in the case was scheduled Friday. Police have reached the spot and the woman has been rushed to the Max hospital. According to initial reports, four rounds were fired in the incident. The woman has been identified as M Radha. She was with an advocate when she was shot. The incident took place near the Lawyer's Block of the court. The accused is presently absconding.

Karnail Singh, Chairman of Saket Bar Association said, "A man disguised as a lawyer opened fire on the victim woman. The woman practices law in the Saket court and the shooter is a suspended lawyer. Three months ago, the Bar Council of Delhi cancelled his license regarding certain issue."

Saket Court President Vinod Sharma said, "The accused, Kameshwar Prasad Singh had a dispute over a money transaction with the woman and she was not returning his money. The treatment of the woman is underway at the AIIMS Trauma Center." Meanwhile, the police have started an investigation into the matter and efforts are being made to nab the accused.

South Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police Chandan Chowdhary said that according to eyewitness Ranjit Singh Dalal, five shots were fired, one of which touched the neck of a lawyer present there, causing him minor injuries. Two bullets hit the woman's stomach and one to her arm. The accused has filed a case of cheating against the victim woman and advocate Rajendra Jha. Today the same case was to be heard, police sources said.

Reacting to the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and wrote, "The law and order situation in Delhi has completely broken down. Instead of obstructing the work of others and doing dirty politics on everything, everyone should focus on their own work. And if they does not manage, then they should resign so that someone else can do it. The safety of the people cannot be left to God."

Saurabh Bhardwaj, a minister in the Delhi government, has targeted the Lieutenant Governor. He has said that the LG has only two works - Police Department and DDA. After the arrival of the new LG, the law and order situation in Delhi is getting worse. Now bullets are being fired in the court as well and the police are also immersed in corruption worth Rs 350 crore.

Earlier in February, multiple rounds were fired outside the Ludhiana Court in the Kochar Market. The incident created havoc among the public in the area. The police reached the spot soon after and started investigating. However, the accused who fired the shots was able to flee and the police are searching for him. According to the police, the shots were fired outside the court premises. One of the eyewitnesses who was passing by the place when the bullet was fired alleged that one person was injured in the firing.