Extortion threats: HC tells police to expedite ex-DUSU president Ronak Khatri’s request for protection
Further, the court directed that, pending a decision on police protection, the beat constable shall visit Khatri “at least once for the next two weeks to ensure his well being”.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed Delhi Police to expedite the request for police protection sought by former Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) president Ronak Khatri, after he alleged that he received extortion and death threats from gangster Rohit Godara.
Justice Ravinder Dudeja directed Delhi Police “to expedite the request for police protection” as sought by him, as he “perceives threat to (his) life”.
Further, the court directed that, pending a decision on police protection, the beat constable shall visit Khatri “at least once for the next two weeks to ensure his well being”.
Khatri submitted that he received the threat from a phone number registered in Ukraine, demanding Rs 5 crore in a WhatsApp message, while alleging that Godara was behind it. An FIR has since been registered at Narela police station.
Seeking police protection, Khatri informed Justice Dudeja that he is “not able to campaign and step out of my house”.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police informed the court that the local Station House Officer (SHO) has given his and the beat constable’s number to Khatri.
The police also submitted that Khatri’s application requesting security and police protection has been forwarded to the DCP (Outer North), who in turn has forwarded it to the Special Cell.
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Noting that an assessment of the threat perception remains pending, the police added that the final decision on whether to grant Khatri protection will be taken by the Special Cell.
Recording that Khatri received a “threatening WhatsApp message from a Ukraine registered number with the sender identifying himself as gangster Rohit Godara and demanding Rs 5 crore, threatening murder,” the court stated in its order that “it is the duty of the State to ensure protection of the life of all the citizens of the country”.
“This Court being the constitutional court is expected to further the constitutional protection of citizens. Since the petitioner perceives threat to his life, the DCP Outer North and DCP Special Cell are directed to expedite the request for police protection,” the court recorded while disposing of Khatri’s plea.
The court further directed that “beat constables and SHO be duly counselled to attend the call if made by (Khatri)”, while adding that the beat constable shall visit Khatri “at least once for the next two weeks to ensure his well being”.
Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court
Professional Profile
Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express.
Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare).
Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others.
She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020.
With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles:
High-Profile Case Coverage
She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy.
Signature Style
Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system.
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