Delhi HC gets hoax bomb threat; judges, lawyers and litigants evacuated from courtrooms

All three buildings of HC were given the all-clear after a search, which concluded around 1.40 pm. Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya is out of town and did not sit in court proceedings on Thursday or Friday.

The email prompted the court staff to alert the judges while proceedings were underway. Several judges started leaving their respective courtrooms from around 11.35 am whereas others continued till noon before rising. Lawyers and their clients were seen trickling out of the premises, urged by Delhi HC Bar Association (DHCBA) president N Hariharan and other office-bearers. Some also thronged the canteen.

Among a key hearing that now stands adjourned to September 16 owing to the disruption was an AAP petition seeking allotment of house for Arvind Kejriwal. The matter was due to be taken up at 12.30 pm.

As per a Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officer, they received a call regarding the bomb threat at 12.25 pm. Soon after, the HC gates saw a queue of cars, with personnel from Delhi Police, Central Reserve Police Force, DFS, bomb disposal squads, and dog squads, among others, fanning out across the premises.

For many, the day brought back memories of the twin bomb blasts at the Delhi HC in 2011.

While a blast at the HC premises in May 2011 saw no casualties, the September blast led to the death of 15 people.

As search operations were underway on Friday, DHCBA vice-president and senior advocate Sacchin Puri said, “There is nothing to worry, but it is only prudent to check thoroughly, given what we saw in 2011. That fear always remains. People had died.”