On April 2, 2025, a disturbing incident occurred in Delhi’s Dwarka Court when a 63-year-old retired government school teacher, Raj Singh, was convicted in a six-year-old cheque bounce case under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. Following the verdict by Judicial Magistrate Shivangi Mangla, Singh reacted violently in the courtroom. He attempted to throw an object at Judge Mangla and issued a death threat, stating, “Tu hai kya cheez… tu bahar mil, dekhte hai kaise zinda ghar jaati hai” (“Who are you even? Meet me outside, and we’ll see how you return home alive”) .
Singh, along with his lawyer Atul Kumar, allegedly harassed the judge, demanding her resignation and threatening to file complaints if she did not reverse the conviction. Judge Mangla documented these actions in her court order and has referred the matter to the Delhi High Court for appropriate proceedings. She also recommended that the National Commission for Women take action against the accused and issued a showcause notice to the lawyer for potential criminal contempt proceedings .
On April 5, Singh was sentenced to 22 months of simple imprisonment and fined ₹6.65 lakh . This incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of judicial officers and the need for stringent measures to protect them within court premises.
Sources