Additional District Judge Pankaj Gupta, who deals with cases under the Hindu Marriage Act, was allegedly slapped and pushed around by some lawyers, court officials who witnessed the brawl said. Some court staff were also beaten up and the group of protesting lawyers then damaged furniture, witnesses said.

A court official present at the spot said, “The police were called immediately and they are investigating the matter.”

The official (name withheld on request) said, “The lawyers were dissatisfied over the bailable warrant being issued to the petitioner, which led first to a verbal duel and then the ruckus.”

But general secretary of New Rohini Bar Association Jatan Singh dismissed allegations of manhandling, calling them “false”. Singh said, “There was just a heated argument between the lawyers and the ADJ because of a matrimonial case. There was some slogan-shouting both inside and outside the court premises.”

The association’s joint-secretary, Rajiv Tehlan, also said there is “no truth” in reports that ADJ Gupta was roughed up.

A police officer said a case has been registered under different Sections of the IPC but no one had been arrested yet.