Eight lawyers allegedly manhandle district judge; remanded for 14 days
Warangal: Police arrested eight Bar Association members here on Tuesday following the alleged manhandling of first additional district judge from AP K.V. Narsimhulu. They were produced before the first munsif magistrate P. Anitha late on Tuesday who remanded them for 14 days judicial custody.
The bar association members, demanding scrapping of the provisional list allocating judges to TS and AP, said they would intensify their agitation from Wednesday.
They conducted a dharna in front of the Subedari police station, where the eight arrested lawyers were lodged. Heavy police forces were deployed at the district court complex as a precautionary measure.
Earlier in the day, boycotted court proceedings demanding withdrawal of suspension imposed on few judges by High Court and release of advocates who were arrested in Hyderabad on Monday.
They staged a protest at the district court complex in Hanamkonda during which they demanded a judge from AP to quit the bench. This led to a heated argument between the judge and the lawyers. Some of the agitating lawyers destroyed furniture and computers in the judge’s office and later blocked his car while he was leaving the court complex.
AP lawyers to boycott court today in protest
The Bezawada Bar Association has decided to boycott district courts on Wednesday alleging ill-treatment by T-advocates of Andhra native judicial officers working in TS.
The BBA, which met here on Tuesday, took the decision to boycott courts on Wednesday in the city and also made an appeal to the state-wide Bar Associations to respond positively to their call.
The decision of BBA is a reaction to the ongoing stir in Hyderabad over the bifurcation of the High Court. Former BBA president Ch. Jagadeesh said that they have no objection over judicial officer of any region working in Anhdra Pradesh, as the Constitution gave them the right to work anywhere.
“Unfortunately, judicial officer Justice Narasimhulu of Nellore was obstructed from discharging his duties in Warangal,” Mr Jagadeesh saidm adding that the district judge was subjected to discrimination in TS.
When asked about the reported verbal duel between BBA members and Justice Srikantachary in Vijayawada on Tuesday, Mr Jagadeesh clarified that no confrontation took place.
“However, we asked him as to why he has submitted an affidavit to High Court Chief Justice stating that he was not comfortable enough here to discharge duties in Vijayawada,” he said. He also clarified that they would not create any problems for judicial officers of any other regions working in AP. “It is unfortunate that Justice Srikantachary went on leave,” he said.
