Lawyers abstain from duty protesting advocate's murder

Ranchi, Sep 18 (UNI) Protesting the killing of an advocate after he was kept in captivity for about 45 days in the Steel city of Jamshedpur three days ago, about 30,000 lawyers of 32 bars of Jharkhand today abstained from their work.

The decision was taken by Jharkhand Bar Council at its emergency general body meeting held yesterday after a delegation of lawyers returned from Jamshedpur.

The delegation had gone to the Steel city to inquire into the matter.

A Jamshedpur-based advocate Sadhan Kumar Chatterjee was allegedly murdered by Arvind Guha and his wife Smita Guha on September 15 after keeping the lawyer captive for about 45 days in their house.

The Jharkhand Bar Council had demanded Rs 25,00,000 as compensation for the victim's family and a government job to the next kin of the deceased.

The Council had also demanded that an FIR should be lodged against the police officers who were present on the spot to handle the case.

Acting chairman of State Bar Council Shiv Narain Roy alleged that the killing was due to the fault of the police, in front of whom Sadhan Kumar Chatterje was murdered.

Mr Milan Dey, Member, Bar Council of India stated that the police said no case about missing of the advocate was lodged and, therefore a habeas corpus writ petition was filed in the High Court which directed the state's Director General of Police to file counter affidavit and submit report in connection with the deceased.

Meanwhile, Mr Roy said Mr Guha, the accused, had legal tangle with his elder brother and to get the favour he allegedly abducted Chaterjee and kept him captive to put pressure on the district administration.

The state bar council mentioned that they would review the matter in 15 days and continue their agitation if the demands were not met.

UNI