Drama continued during the hearing as well with lawyers raising slogans periodically and disrupting proceedings
Advocates in Chennai protest contempt proceedings against two lawyers from Madurai on Wednesday. (Photo: DC)
Chennai: For the second time in three days, the citadel of the state judiciary was rocked by a handful of advocates. While a 20-member team of lawyers from Madurai had caused havoc at a hearing of the first bench of the Madras high court on Monday, another group of vocal advocates from the temple town caused pandemonium when judges were hearing a contempt case on Wednesday afternoon.
Agitating advocates heckled the judges when they were making their way to their court room and also when they were returning to their chambers after an hour-long hearing.
The first bench headed by chief justice Sanjay Krishan Kaul was targeted for the second time this week as the lawyers were said to have been peeved at the direction to the government to bring the high court campus under the security cover of central forces. The crisis had begun on Monday during a hearing of a suo motu contempt petition by a division bench comprising Justices S. Tamilvanan and C.T. Selvam. They directed the contemnors P. Dharmarajan, President and A.K. Ramasamy Secretary, Madurai Bar Association, to appear before the court on September 16 for taking out a procession against Madras high court judges and airing various charges against them.
Over 60 lawyers from Madurai led by Ramasamy and other office bearers of the association reached the Madras campus in three buses ahead of the scheduled contempt hearing. On entering the campus, they first raised slogans for some time. After getting in touch with the Madras high court's advocate association president, R.C. Paul Kanagaraj and other office bearers, they rushed to Raj Bhavan along with Kanagaraj to meet the Governor to hand over a complaint against the judges, alleging that they had committed irregularities. They returned soon to the court campus.
A large number of advocates had assembled in the corridors close to court hall-4 where the proceedings were scheduled to begin at 2.15 pm. A strong contingent of police led by ACP Ravikumar allowed only Ramasamy, Kanagaraj and a few others like 'Tiger' Ponnusamy and 'Anugundu' Arumugam of Dr Ambedkar Advocate's Association. Other advocates and media persons were prevented from entering the court.
The drama continued during the hearing as well with lawyers raising slogans periodically and disrupting proceedings. By the end of the day an uneasy calm had descended on the halls of the high court but the matter appears far from settled.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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