Bar Associations in Gujarat condemn denial of entry to advocate Italia at Rajpipla court
AAP MLA from Dediapada, Chaitar Vasava, was arrested by the Narmada police on Saturday evening, and was produced before the Rajpipla court on Sunday. Italia had reached the court to represent his client Vasva. The police officers deployed at the main entry gate of the court allegedly stopped Italia from entering the premises. An argument ensued between the two sides. Sources said that people present outside the court recorded the incident on their phones and shared it on social media platforms. The policemen, however, allowed Italia to enter the court complex later.
After coming across the video on social media, Bar Association presidents and committee members from Gandhinagar, Deesa, Wankaner, Gariyadhar, Navsari and Bharuch held a meeting and passed a resolution, condemning the act done by police. Demanding a reply from the state government on the issue and a PIL in the Gujarat High Court, their letter also mentioned that, as per The Advocates Act, a lawyer is considered a court officer and should not be stopped by anyone from entering the court complex. The Indian Express has accessed these resolutions.
Talking to The Indian Express, Bharuch District Bar Association president Pradyuman Sindha said, 'We condemn the incident of Rajpipla, as police were seen stopping a lawyer from entering the court complex. The Bar Council of India has granted us the licence, and it is our right to enter the court complex; nobody can stop us. The court complex is our second house. In a letter sent to the Bar Council of Gujarat, the Chief Minister, Home Minister, and the Bar Council of India, we requested (them to ensure) that such incidents do not happen again, and if they do, we would urge lawyers to carry out a protest against the police. We have also demanded strict disciplinary actions against the policemen deployed at the main gate of Rajpipla court. We also want actions against top officials who might have sent directions to the policemen.'
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