Panchkula: A serving Army officer has accused a group of lawyers of assaulting and intimidating him inside the Panchkula District Courts complex, leading to the registration of a criminal case by the Haryana Police. The incident, which reportedly occurred during the hearing of an ongoing matrimonial dispute, is now under investigation.
According to the complaint, Lieutenant Colonel Ashish Chandok, currently posted at Chandimandir Military Station, had appeared before the Family Court in connection with cases involving his estranged wife. He alleged that an argument with the opposing counsel escalated outside the courtroom, following which several advocates allegedly surrounded and physically attacked him.
The officer claimed he was subsequently taken to a lawyer’s chamber within the court premises, where he was allegedly confined for some time and pressured into signing a written settlement. He stated that he was not given an opportunity to read or understand the contents of the document before being forced to sign it.
After leaving the court complex, the officer approached the police and underwent a medical examination. Preliminary medical findings reportedly indicated injuries, including a suspected fracture near the tailbone, though the exact nature of the injuries will be confirmed through further medical opinion.
Based on the complaint, Sector 7 Police Station in Panchkula has registered an FIR under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to voluntarily causing hurt, grievous hurt, criminal intimidation, and unlawful assembly.
Investigators have begun collecting evidence, including CCTV footage from the court complex, to verify the sequence of events. Police officials said statements of witnesses present during the alleged incident will also be recorded as part of the investigation.
No arrests had been made at the time of filing the report. Police maintained that further action would depend on the examination of video evidence and the final medical assessment.
The alleged incident has drawn attention because it involves a serving Army officer and events that reportedly unfolded inside a court complex. Authorities have assured that the matter will be investigated impartially and that appropriate legal action will be taken based on the evidence collected.
