Ghaziabad: Two more FIRs against lawyers, 44 named

Ever since, lawyers of the Ghaziabad bar association have been staging work strike and demanding transfer of a judicial officer besides action against policemen involved in the lathicharge

Ghaziabad: Police have registered two more first information reports (FIRs) against lawyers over the October 29 violence that took place at a Ghaziabad court, and booked a total of 44 named lawyers while 70-80 others remain unidentified. Lawyers, however, termed the new FIRs as a ploy to defame and hinder their ongoing agitation.

On Friday, the first FIR was registered against a lawyer following a complaint by court staff of a judicial officer.The second FIR names 43 lawyers and 70-80 others unidentified lawyers. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

The lawyers have been striking work since October 29 after a disagreement during a bail hearing allegedly escalated to violence, arson, and sparked off a police lathicharge inside a courtroom.

Ever since, lawyers of the Ghaziabad bar association have been staging work strike and demanding transfer of a judicial officer besides action against police officers involved in the lathicharge incident.

“Two FIRs were registered by police at the Kavi Nagar police station on Friday. Overall, six FIRs have been filed so far against lawyers since October 29 and investigation is underway. No arrests have been made so far,” said Abhishek Srivastava, assistant commissioner of police, Kavi Nagar circle.

After the October 29 protest, police registered two FIRs against lawyers while two more FIRs were registered against lawyers when they held their “roadblock protest” on November 11 and 12 and allegedly blocked the Hapur Road for two hours each day.

On Friday, the first FIR was registered against a lawyer following a complaint by court staff of a judicial officer. It alleges that the lawyer had entered the officer’s chamber without permission to get some documents attested. It has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 267 (intentionally offers any insult, or causes any interruption to any public servant) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).

The second FIR names 43 lawyers and 70-80 others unidentified lawyers. The FIR was registered under BNS sections 267 (Intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding), 221 (voluntarily obstructs any public servant in the discharge of his public functions), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 115(2) (causing voluntary hurt) and 127 (3) (wrongful confinement).

The registration of FIRs followed a complaint by central Nazir (court officer) of the court, alleging that the lawyers along with others protested inside the court complex, misbehaved with litigants and government counsels and also tried to disrupt judicial works.

“The FIRs have been filed with intent to defame and jeopardise ongoing lawyers’ agitation and these have been lodged at the behest of judicial officers. Four FIRs were filed earlier against lawyers and these too had the same motive and intent. Our protest will continue till a judicial officer is transferred and action is taken against police officers who lathicharged lawyers inside the courtroom,” said Deepak Sharma, president of the bar association.