Former RAW official disrobes in court, ordered medical check up

NEW DELHI - A former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official, claiming to be frustrated at frequent adjournments in a human trafficking case against her, disrobed before a judge Thursday and tried to do it again in the afternoon. The court has ordered her psychiatric check-up.

Nisha Bhatia, around 45, removed her upper garment in a courtroom before Justice Ajit Bharihoke about 10.45 a.m. She was restrained by women constables.

When hearing in the matter resumed in the post-lunch session, Bhatia again started to disrobe minutes into the hearing and removed her jacket.

She was stopped by the women constables who escorted her out of the courtroom. The matter was then heard in the presence of her counsel Rita Kaul.

Justice Bharihoke observed: “The behaviour of the petitioner in baring herself in the open court is deplorable and it gives an impression that the petitioner is not mentally sound. It is not a case of solitary instance but the petitioner even in the pre-lunch session had tried to indulge in a similar act, which is not expected from a normal person.”

“She even claims that she had bared herself before the bench of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) as well as the Supreme Court and that she will continue to indulge in such acts,” said the justice.

“Her conduct, considered in the background of the case registered against her under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code of harassment, wherein she has been charge sheeted for having attempted to commit suicide in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, leaves a lingering doubt in the minds about her mental condition,” he added.

The court directed Bhatia to be medically examined in her interest as well as that of others. She was ordered to be produced before the medical superintendent of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Dilshad Garden, and admitted there to carry out a complete checkup. The report should be submitted Feb 20, the court ruled.

“On completion of checkup, she shall be free to go if she is not suffering from a mental disorder which necessitates her detention in a psychiatric hospital for treatment, with a view to ensure her safety and for the protection of others,” Bharihoke said.

However, Bhatia has claimed that false allegations and charges were levelled against her by her seniors as she had lodged a complaint against them for sexually harassing her in August 2008.

One of the accused, Ashok Chaturvedi, was convicted by a lower court but was later allowed to walk free by the Delhi High Court, which compelled Bhatia to file a writ petition against him.

She also accused the then additional chief metropolitan magistrate and the metropolitan magistrate of New Delhi of mentally harassing and humiliating her. She came in contact with them during the case against Chaturvedi.

Bhatia was posted at RAW’s training institute in Gurgaon, where she had been working and residing for several years. But her services were terminated a day after she attempted suicide outside the Prime Minister’s Office Aug 19, 2008, after her complaints of sexual harassment were allegedly ignored.