The Delhi High Court has denied anticipatory bail to a lawyer accused in a road rage incident, stating that extending such relief for "broad daylight violence" in a public space would send a wrong message to society, especially given the accused’s professional standing.

Justice Girish Kathpalia emphasized that no one is above the law and observed that granting pre-arrest bail in such circumstances would "malign the noble profession of advocacy."

“Granting anticipatory bail in a case involving such brazen violence in public would convey that the aggressor evaded consequences due to his profession. The law treats everyone equally—no one is more equal than others,” the court said in its May 15 order.

The case pertains to an alleged assault in February, where the lawyer and his politically connected brother reportedly attacked a software engineer commuting on his two-wheeler towards Deoli Road. The victim sustained injuries, including a head wound that the court noted could have been life-threatening.

Rejecting the defense’s claim that the incident amounted to “mere road rage,” the court referred to CCTV footage, which it said illustrated the serious nature of the attack by “two powerful members of society.” The court noted that such acts have far-reaching consequences—not only in terms of physical harm but also in causing psychological trauma and, at times, even resulting in fatalities.

"Road rage is not a trivial matter," the court observed, adding that the damage in this case was aggravated due to the involvement of individuals who were expected to uphold the law—the accused being an advocate and the president of a political organisation.

The court also took into account the investigating officer’s request for custodial interrogation to recover the assault weapon and conduct further investigation, concluding that the case did not merit the grant of anticipatory bail.