17 Odisha lawyers held for vandalising court

Sambalpur superintendent of police B Gangadhar said the lawyers were arrested in connection with the vandalism incident in the chamber of district judge Manas Barik during a protest demanding the establishment of a separate bench of the Orissa High Court in Sambalpur.

The Odisha police has arrested 17 lawyers in Sambalpur district for allegedly vandalising a district judge’s chambers on Monday, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.

After videos of the incident surfaced on social media, the Supreme Court on Monday took a strong stand against the lawyers and had asked the state government to inform it of steps taken against them. (HT Photo)

Sambalpur superintendent of police B Gangadhar said the lawyers were arrested in connection with the vandalism incident in the chamber of district judge Manas Barik during a protest demanding the establishment of a separate bench of the Orissa High Court in Sambalpur.

After videos of the incident surfaced on social media, the Supreme Court on Monday took a strong stand against the lawyers and had asked the state government to inform it of steps taken against them.

“Three cases were filed at Town Police station in connection with yesterday’s incident and 17 lawyers were arrested after examining footage from the CCTV cameras. More CCTV and video footage is being analysed for further arrests,” SP Gangadhar said on Tuesday. He added that section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been implemented in the vicinity of the court.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the chairman of the Action Committee of Sambalpur District Bar Association, Pradeep Bohidar, said their protest would continue.

“The Odisha Bar Council has issued our licences, not the Bar Council of India. Yesterday, satyagrah was going on peacefully. The vandalism was the outcome of police excesses. Police was taking the district judge and other judges to court premises secretly,” said Bohidar.

“Lawyers have lost their privilege. Police are expected to take action. Why are the police making polite conversations with them? Why should they not be taken into custody? If the police are not able to control it, we will send the paramilitary. Please tell us whether you are able to handle it or not. Tell us. We want action by the day after tomorrow,” the bench had said and summoned the state’s director general of police via videoconferencing on Wednesday.

Following the SC’s observations, the Bar Council of India had suspended the licences of 29 agitating lawyers including Sureswar Mishra, the president of the district’s Bar Association taking into account the “act of vandalism and unrest”.