Lawyers had used filthy language,climbed on dais & chairs: Report

The report mentions that the UT District and Sessions Judge had also informed the local police about the incident but the Police caused substantial delay in reaching the Court. The Chandigarh Police officials have been fastened with responsibility for not taking immediate action,which eventually worsened the situation.

The detailed but concise fact-finding report by the Registrar also reads that the lawyers raised slogans against Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Parvinder Singh. The Registrar has minced no words in stating that the lawyers were responsible for creating a scene and destroying the decorum of the Court.

The report also mentions the statement of the Magistrate who reported that the lawyers had indulged in lawlessness on May 14. The Registrar has identified the lawyers who were involved in the ugly incidents and given their names in the report.

The Registrar took the help of the photographs published in the local newspapers and also the assistance of the District Court staff who identified the names of the lawyers involved. The Judicial Magistrate against whom the lawyers had raised slogans had reported the matter to the High Court and termed the incident as an “untoward” one.

It was after the one-and-a-half page report prepared by the Judicial Magistrate that the Administrative Committee held an emergent meeting and asked the Registrar (Vigilance) to hold an inquiry into the case.

After the Registrar submitted the report last week,the Administrative Committee left it to the acting Chief Justice to take appropriate decisions in this regard. Acting Chief Justice A K Goel is also the administrative Judge of the UT District Courts.

It was on May 14 that a bunch of unruly lawyers hounded and beat up Ram Karan,a police constable,on the Court premises in full public view. Chandigarh Police has booked 18 lawyers on charges of wrongful confinement,assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duties,and rioting.

The lawyers had initially moved anticipatory bail applications but later withdrew them,alleging that some lawyers who were not even present in the Court have been wrongly booked by Chandigarh Police. According to available information,the lawyers are trying their best to reach a compromise and end the dispute.

Till now,not a single lawyer has been arrested by the Chandigarh Police as it claims to be busy “in establishing the facts”.