Vandalism on court premises in Sambalpur: 8 more lawyers arrested
Vandalism on court premises in Sambalpur: 8 more lawyers arrested
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Sambalpur: Eight more attorneys were arrested on Thursday in connection with the vandalism of district judge Manas Barik's chamber during the December 13 protest calling for the establishment of a separate bench of the Orissa high court.
Sureshwar Mishra, President of the District Bar Association, is among those arrested, and raids are underway to apprehend others involved in the incident, according to sources.
Previously, 17 agitated attorneys were arrested under IPC Sections 147, 341, 323, 353, 332, 506, 186, 188, and 149. The arrests came after the Supreme Court chastised the Odisha police for failing to act against the protesting attorneys who allegedly ransacked one of the district court premises.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) also acted forcefully, suspending the practice licenses of 14 more attorneys who allegedly used violence during the agitation for an 18-month term. It had already suspended all members of the district bar until further instructions and suspended the licenses of 29 advocates for 18 months.
The Supreme Court asked the Central Action Committee of the Bar Associations to lift the strike unconditionally on Wednesday. The court made it quite plain that there is no need for new benches in an age when technology, such as virtual courts and e-filing, is so widely used.
Previously, the Supreme Court chastised Odisha Police DG and Sambalpur IGP for failing to handle the state's lawyers' strike. "If the Odisha Police is unable to handle the situation, we would deploy Central forces," it added.
