Calcutta HC judge initiates contempt proceedings against protesting lawyers

Justice Mantha also issued directions for preserving the CCTV footage of Monday’s protest by lawyers outside his courtroom and summoned the court’s officer-in-charge for deploying security persons in front of his court to ensure that no one was stopped from entering it.

Meanwhile, a section of lawyers said they have decided not to take part in proceedings at Justice Mantha’s court as they opposed some of the orders passed by him. However, the court of Justice Mantha functioned normally on Tuesday with petitions being heard in the usual manner, even as security outside his courtroom was beefed up following Monday’s protests.

Earlier, members of the Bar Association of the High Court accused Justice Mantha of being biased and urged Chief Justice Shrivastava to relieve him from some of the cases. In a letter to the Chief Justice, the Bar Association members wrote: “…It is with great regret we must proceed to deliberate upon the actions of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, who has perhaps fallen short of his usual standards in recent times… Let this representation record our humble request for your lordship to relieve Justice Rajshekhar Mantha from his current determination and liberate him from his current responsibilities.”

On Tuesday, Calcutta High Court Bar Association president Arunabha Ghosh said the association has nothing to do with the lawyers’ agitation. “I have told the Chief Justice that action may be taken over the issue as he deems fit,” he said. Senior advocate and CPI(M)’s Rajya Sabha member, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, condemned Monday’s incident and urged the Chief Justice to seek an explanation from the protesting lawyers.