Lawyers protest in front of Borivali Police Station Over Refusal to File FIR in Constable Assault Case
Borivali, Mumbai – A high-voltage drama unfolded outside the Borivali Police Station on Wednesday as a large group of lawyers staged a fierce protest, demanding the immediate registration of an First Information Report (FIR) against a police constable Swapnil Pawar who is an accused of assaulting advocate Pradeep Mishra and an auto-rickshaw driver near the court premises. The protest, which lasted several hours, brought traffic to a halt and highlighted the widening rift between the legal fraternity and local law enforcement.
According to eyewitness accounts, the incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when Advocate Pradeep Mishra, a practicing lawyer at Borivali court, was leaving the court complex after a hearing. Mishra was accompanied by an auto-rickshaw driver, whose identity has been withheld for safety, when an altercation allegedly broke out with a police constable stationed in the vicinity.
Lawyers present at the scene claim that the constable, reportedly attached to the Borivali Police Station’s law and order wing, first engaged in a heated argument with the auto driver over a parking violation. When Advocate Mishra intervened to mediate, the situation turned violent. “The constable lost his temper and began pushing both of them. Within seconds, he started hitting Mr. Mishra with his baton and fists. The auto driver was also thrashed badly,” said advocate Rajesh Sharma, who witnessed the incident.
Mishra was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital by fellow lawyers. Medical reports obtained by this publication confirm that Mishra sustained a hairline fracture on his right hand, deep bruises on his ribs, and a concussion. The auto-rickshaw driver was treated for multiple contusions and a dislocated shoulder. Both victims are currently out of danger but have been advised bed rest for at least two weeks.
What has infuriated the legal community, however, is not just the assault but the subsequent inaction by the police. According to sources, a group of lawyers accompanied Mishra’s family to the Borivali Police Station on Tuesday evening to file a formal complaint. They submitted the medical reports, photographs of injuries, and written statements. Yet, the duty officer allegedly refused to register an FIR, citing an internal preliminary inquiry.
The refusal triggered a massive protest on Wednesday morning. Over 200 lawyers from the Borivali Court Bar Association gathered outside the police station, shouting slogans like “Police Brutality Bandh Karo” and “Nyah Ki Hatyah Bandh Karo”. They carried placards showing Mishra’s fractured arm X-ray and medical reports. The protest soon spread to the main road, leading to a complete traffic snarl in the Borivali West area for nearly two hours.
Senior police officials rushed to the spot to control the situation. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone XI, arrived at the scene and held a closed-door meeting with bar association representatives. However, initial talks failed as lawyers refused to relent until an FIR was lodged.
“We have full faith in the medical evidence. The fracture report is indisputable. Yet, the police are bending rules to protect their own. If they can file FIRs for minor scuffles, why not for a serious assault on a lawyer inside the court’s shadow? This is a test of the rule of law,” said Sunil Dixit, President of the Borivali Court Bar Association.
The incident has also drawn attention to the broader issue of police accountability in Mumbai. Human rights groups have criticized the force’s tendency to shield its members. “When a police officer commits a crime—especially against a citizen or a legal professional—the first step must be an FIR. A departmental inquiry can run parallel, but refusal to register a case is a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Lalita Kumari judgment, which made registration of FIR mandatory in cognizable offenses,” said legal activist Anand Grover.
Meanwhile, Advocate Pradeep Mishra spoke to this reporter from his hospital bed. His right hand is in a plaster cast, and his voice is weak but determined. “I was just asking him not to hit the auto driver. Instead of listening, he turned on me. I have spent 15 years in this court, arguing for justice. Now I need it for myself. If the police can do this to a lawyer inside the court’s jurisdiction, what hope does a common man have?” he said.
By late Wednesday evening, after hours of negotiation, the police relented partially. An official statement from the Borivali Police Station said that a “zero FIR” would be registered at the request of the bar association and transferred to a police station outside the zone for independent investigation. However, lawyers remained skeptical, announcing that they would continue their protest on Thursday if no concrete action is taken by morning.
As tensions remain high, the Borivali court premises wore a deserted look today, as advocates boycotted judicial work in protest. Legal proceedings were severely affected, with hundreds of cases deferred. The incident has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over police accountability, judicial independence, and the safety of legal professionals in India’s bustling metropolitan courts.
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