High Court lawyer says colleague slapped him,writes to Chief Justice

In the PIL,Amit Panchal has annexed Unwala’s letter and sought appropriate direction from the HC on the issue as per the principles laid down by the Supreme Court in certain cases.

The petition was listed for hearing before a division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala but the hearing could not take place as Justice Pardiwala recused himself from the matter on “personal grounds”.

Protesting the alleged police atrocities on lawyers in Jaipur and Chandigadh,the Bar Council of India had asked lawyers to abstain from work for a day on March 11. Supporting the call,the Bar Council of Gujarat (BCG) had asked lawyers in the state to stay away from work.

In his letter,Unwala has stated that due to a pressing urgency he had appeared in the hearing of one of his clients’ petition along with senior counsel Saurabh Soparkar. After the hearing,a group of 30-35 lawyers barged into his chamber and humiliated him in front of his office staff,he has alleged,adding that senior lawyer Bhargav Bhatt slapped him.

According to Unwala,the group included GHAA president Vijay Patel,vice president Pitambar Abhichandani,secretary Ashok Prajapati,senior lawyers Bhatt and B M Mangukia,and assistant solicitor general of India Pankaj Champaneri,among others.

The PIL has sought direction from the HC to frame rules with regard to the manner and conduct in which lawyers are permitted to practice “the noble legal profession”.

After recusal of Justice Pardiwala,the court adjourned the matter and kept it for further hearing on Friday and assigned the same to another division bench.