Prayagraj : Terming the ruckus created by a section of lawyers as ‘contemptuous’, Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the registrar (protocol) to get hold of CCTV footage and identify the lawyers involved in the incident, so that contempt proceedings could be initiated against them.
Justice Deshwal passed the above order when during the hearing, some advocates started raising their voice in the corridor outside his court (no 66) and intercepted the court proceedings. A lawyer present in the court informed that certain advocates are protesting against the unfortunate incident that took place in court no 49 on Tuesday relating to dignity of advocates. On Wednesday, they broke seats of Court number 49, where this incident had taken place and after that raised slogans in the corridor of the high court.
Because some of the advocates have problem with a particular court, they cannot be permitted to raise slogans, shout and disturb to other court proceedings and use such words which is in the nature to intimidate the court, taking serious note of it, the court observed, “Such incident amounts to interference of the court proceedings as poor litigants come to the high court for redressal of their grievances, and merely. Therefore, this court is of the view that such conduct of some advocates is absolutely contempt”. Later, state counsel reported this incident to Justice Ajay Bhanot, who asked the lawyer to say sorry to the police officer.
The letter states that the AGA rebuked the advocate and said that he would be complaining to the judge. When the advocate sought forgiveness, the judge directed and compelled him to apologise to the police officer, according to the association. This is wholly unjustified. The incident infuriated a section of lawyers as they termed it as an attack on their dignity. It further alleged that, after Justice Bhanot entered the courtroom, the AGA complained about the advocate, following which the judge pointed a finger at him and, in harsh words, ordered that he be sent to jail.
On Monday, an advocate asked a senior police officer to sit behind instead of in the front row. On Wednesday, Allahabad High Court Bar Association threatened to boycott the court of Justice Ajay Bhanot, alleging that he humiliated an advocate during court proceedings and also mocked a senior advocate.