Advocate M Memi Devi said a family court has served a warrant of arrest against her, terming the order a first of its kind in the state’s judicial history.
Memi, speaking to media persons at the Manipur Press Club, said the warrant is a ‘mockery of law.’
The warrant was issued in connection with an ongoing case in which the advocate is acting as counsel of the respondent in case, the stage of which is for payment of maintenance allowance to the petitioner, according to Memi.
In her defiance, she said she has already lost all contact with her client who is the respondent.
She continued, in the meantime, she came to know of a notice served upon her and two other counsels to appear before the family court judge on September 16 without assigning any clear reasons for their appearance.
She said when she went to the court she found a warrant of arrest already issued against her name which was returnable by September 21.
She continued the warrant was notified to the Imphal Police station, however, since her residence falls under Sekmai Police, the warrant was further notified to the concerned police, following which, Sekmai police personnel had searched her residence.
The advocate continued, until and unless an advocate is not connected with a criminal activity, serving a warrant of arrest is against the book of law, under contempt of court Act 1971, under section 16 contempt made by magistrate, for which the magistrate may end up with a one-year jail term.
She added she has submitted a petition to the High Court of Manipur requesting to quash the notice of ‘warrant of arrest.’
