Patiala Court clash: Bar Council of India to take action against guilty lawyers

New Delhi, Feb 18: The Bar Council of India has decided to crack the whip on the group of unruly lawyers who indulged in violence at the Patiala House Court complex here, saying the licences of those found guilty will be suspended for life.

Apologising for the violence in the court premises on Wednesday which had occurred for a second time in a row ahead of the hearing of JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar's sedition case, BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said names of the bar members, if found guilty of indulging in this violence, will be removed from the roll.

"I seek apology from mediapersons and that boy Kanhaiya Kumar for such mishappenings and misconduct. Strong action will be taken against lawyers, if found guilty of indulging in violence at Patiala House Court.

"The action includes suspension of their licence for their entire life. Therefore, we can remove name of any of the advocates from the roll of Bar Council for whole life," Mishra said.

The apex law body has set up a three-member committee, headed by a former High Court judge, to probe the incidents of February 15 and 17 at the Patiala Court where a group of lawyers attacked Kanhaiya and thrashed students, media persons as well as a team of senior advocates constituted by the Supreme Court which had gone there to take a stock of the situation.

"We have made a special request to the committee to submit its report and complete its proceedings within three weeks from today and we hope that soon after receiving the report of inquiry committee, we will take a strong action against the guilty," he said.

He said BCI has taken a serious view of the incidents and termed it "shameful" and added "handful of lawyers have done this." The men dressed in lawyers' robes had allegedly thrown sharp-edged objects at the team of senior lawyers and hurled abuses and expletives at them.

PTI