‘Hampers fearless working’: MP High Court orders security after judge faces threats over lynching case verdict

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 3, 2026 01:19 PM IST

The court termed the incident as a serious matter. (Image generated using AI)

Observing that such activities “directly hamper the judicial independence” and “fearless working of judicial officers”, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken cognisance of news reports on threats faced by a sessions judge in Madhya Pradesh after she had convicted seven men in a 2022 lynching case.

The court, therefore, directed the Director General of Police and the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary (Home) to file a response on the steps being taken to book the miscreants.

Justices Vivek Agarwal and Avanindra Kumar Singh also ordered police protection to the judge, Tabassum Khan.

“Our judicial officer cannot be threatened merely because he or she chooses to pass a particular order and that is not to the liking of a certain section of the society,” the order read.

Though the court was informed that protection has been extended, it directed the Superintendent of Police, Narmadapuram, to inform as to what steps have been taken to book the persons who have ‘created an atmosphere of threats to the judicial officer.’

Background

Additional District and Sessions Judge Tabassum Khan, posted in Narmadapuram district, had on June 12 sentenced seven men to life imprisonment for the lynching of truck driver Sheikh Lala Nazir Ahmed, who was beaten to death in August 2022 on suspicion of cow smuggling. In its judgment, the court held that the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused participated in the attack and observed that they had assaulted the deceased with “extreme brutality”.

Soon after the verdict, dramatic scenes unfolded outside the court complex as relatives of the convicted men attempted to stop the police vehicle from taking the convicts to jail.

Ashish Shaji is a Senior Sub-Editor at The Indian Express, where he specializes in legal journalism. Combining a formal education in law with years of editorial experience, Ashish provides authoritative coverage and nuanced analysis of court developments and landmark judicial decisions for a national audience.

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