Ghaziabad: Two more FIRs against lawyers, 44 named

Ghaziabad: Police registered two more First Information Reports (FIRs) against lawyers in connection with the October 29 violence at a Ghaziabad court and arrested a total of 44 named lawyers, while 70-80 others remain unaccounted for. However, lawyers termed the fresh FIRs as a ploy to defame and hinder their ongoing agitation.

The lawyers have been on strike since October 29 after disagreements during bail hearings allegedly turned violent, arson and led to police charges in the courtroom.

Since then, the advocates of the Ghaziabad Bar Association have been staging a work strike and demanding the transfer of the judicial officer, besides action against the policemen involved in the lathicharge incident.

“Police registered two FIRs at Kavi Nagar police station on Friday. A total of six FIRs have been filed against the advocates since October 29, investigations are ongoing. No one has been arrested so far,” said Abhishek Srivastava, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kavi Nagar circle.

After the October 29 protest, the police registered two FIRs against the advocates, while two more FIRs were registered against the advocates when they held their ‘road blocking protest’ on November 11 and 12 and allegedly blocked Hapur Road for two hours each day.

On Friday, the first FIR was registered against the lawyer following a complaint by court officials against the bailiff. It alleges that the lawyer entered the officers’ office without permission to authenticate some documents. It was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 267 (intentionally offering any insult or causing disruption to any public servant) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation).

The second FIR names 43 lawyers and 70-80 other unidentified lawyers. The FIR was registered under BNS Sections 267 (Intentional insult or interruption of a public servant engaged in judicial proceedings), 221 (willfully obstructing any public servant in the discharge of his public functions), 352 (intentional insult with intent to cause disturbance of peace) . , 115(2) (intentionally causing harm) and 127(3) (wrongful imprisonment).

The FIR was registered following a complaint by the court’s chief watcher (judicial officer) who alleged that the lawyers, along with others, protested inside the court complex, misbehaved with the parties and government lawyers, and tried to obstruct the court.

“The pleadings were filed with the intention of discrediting and jeopardizing the lawyers’ ongoing campaign and were filed at the behest of court officials. Earlier, four FIRs were filed against the lawyers and they also had the same motive and intent. Our protest will continue until the judicial officer is transferred and action is taken against the policemen who framed the charges against the lawyers in the courtroom,” said Deepak Sharma, president of the bar association.