New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the president and secretary of the Janpad Diwani Evam Faujdari Bar association, after considering the alleged manhandling of senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia in the Gautam Budh Nagar district court.
Senior advocate Vikas Singh mentioned the matter before a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and comprising justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. Singh submitted that lawyers allegedly misbehaved and snatched the collar band of Bhatia and the lawyers also informed the bench that a woman lawyer was also manhandled by the lawyers’.
The woman lawyer, who appeared before the apex court, said that she was also manhandled in a different court while appearing in a matter. The apex court was informed that lawyers’ were on strike in the Gautam Budh Nagar district court. The bench directed the district judge, Gautam Budh Nagar to ensure that the CCTV footage of the incident is in safe custody pending further orders. The bench also sought a report to be submitted on the incident.
The top court said a strike by lawyers’ affects the litigants’ who are vital stakeholders in the justice system.
After hearing submissions, the CJI directed registration of a suo motu petition over the incident which occurred on Wednesday on the premises of the district court.