IMPHAL June 14: The members of the High Court Bar Association, Manipur while decrying the assault on one of its employees by police commandos has appealed to the general public to support the actions of the Bar and has also decided against conducting any judicial cases during the period of protest.
Senior Advocate N Kumarjit while talking to mediapersons regarding the incident at the Bar office located at Guwahati High Court complex today stated that one attendant of the association, identified as Md Abdul Salam was threatened and thrashed by the police on June 9.
He further stated that according to the reports of the victim submitted to the association by the alleged victim, he (Abdul) was proceeding along the Wangkhei Kongba road on a bicycle for distribution of cause lists to the residences of advocates.
He also stated further according to the report of the victim, at about 7.20 pm, he was stopped by two police personnel, a police gypsy was also parked near Durga Puja Lampak in which 2/3 personnel were sitting. The said personnel detained Abdul for about 20 minutes in which the police insisted that he was a member of the proscribed PREPAK and worked in the finance section.
The report further alleged that he was further questioned whether the cause list he was carrying are demand letters, he was pressed by them to admit that he is a UG cadre and warned that he will be shot if he did not and was thrashed up further.
They also threatened him saying that he would be shot and producing his identification card was immaterial.
The cause lists he carried were also forcibly snatched and thrown away and also threaten not to proceed any further for the distribution of the cause list.
Salam also mentioned in the report submitted to the association that he has been detained by the same personnel at the same spot on two earlier occasions.
Salam later ascertained that the police vehicle bearing registration number MN 01/W 3632 is the office vehicle of the Porompat OC Kh Geetchandra.
Further according to a statement of the association, the concerned OC without seeking any permission and without providing any prior information barged into the Bar office room where a meeting regarding the issue was being convened.
It further charged that the OC also threatened and intimidated Salam.
The conduct of the police officer was condemned by the members of the Bar.
In the regard, it was resolved by the HCBA to urge the concerned authorities to punish the involved police personnel otherwise the members of the Bar will refrain from attending court.
Senior advocate Kumarjeet stated that the action of the police personnel amounts to obstruction of justice within ambits of the provision under section 2(c) of the Contempt of Court Act,1971 and as such a criminal case will be filed by the HCBA before the Gauhati High Court.
Cooperation is also sought from the All Manipur Bar Association by the HCBA in protesting against the incident.