Cuttack: The Orissa High Court Bar Association decided to continue its cease work agitation till November 9. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the HC Bar Association here Friday.
The lawyers’ body also expelled BJD Legal Front adviser Asim Amitabh Das, convener Milan Kanungo and former vice-president of the Bar Association Bansidhar Satpathy from its membership. It also served a show-cause notice on State Bar Council chairman Tahali Charan Mohanty.
“Three lawyers have been expelled from the HC Bar Association on charge of harming the unity among practicing advocates. A resolution in this regard has been moved at the Bar Association meeting,” HC Bar Association secretary Satyabrata Mohanty said.
When contacted, BJD Legal Front adviser Asim Amitabh Das refused comment on his expulsion from the HC Bar Association.
It is worth mentioning here that five police personnel had allegedly assaulted practicing advocate Devi Prasad Patnaik over some issues in Silver City August 28.
Police arrested two security personnel in connection with the case. However, the lawyers demanded the arrest of all five policemen and legal action against them under Section 307 of the IPC.
Seeking arrest of the police personnel, the HC Bar Association has been on a cease work agitation since August 29.
However, lawyers affiliated to BJD Legal Front had recently pulled out from the cease work agitation after the Bar Association decided to burn the effigies of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to protest the state government’s callousness to fulfill its demand.
There was a scuffle between two groups of lawyers on the HC premises Monday when the advocates affiliated to BJD Legal Front tried to enter the court to resume work. Several lawyers were injured in the scuffle.
Meanwhile, the HC directed the Crime Branch to complete its investigation into the police assault case and submit its final report by November 9. It had also asked Justice CR Das to monitor the investigation.
Cops warn of stir
Cuttack: The Odisha Havildar, Constable and Sepoy Confederation Thursday warned of an agitation if the state government failed to take action in an incident relating to alleged assault of two police personnel by some advocates. Its president Santosh Satpathy told reporters that two of their colleagues, who were escorting the state’s Advocate General inside the high court Monday, were assaulted by a few advocates. “Although, written complaints were made at the local police station, no action has been taken. We are giving 48 hours to the state government and if nothing happens, we will be forced to resort to the agitation path,” he said.