Calcutta HC
Calcutta HC judge Rajasekhar Mantha initiates criminal contempt proceedings against lawyers for 'ruckus in courtroom'
Kolkata/IBNS: Justice Rajasekhar Mantha of the Calcutta High Court has initiated a criminal contempt proceedings against lawyers for creating a ruckus inside the courtroom, media reports said.
Ruckus occurred inside the courtroom on Monday after a section of lawyers prevented Justice Mantha from discharging his duties.
The ruckus had stopped the proceedings in Justice Mantha's courtroom.
Several posters describing Justice Mantha as a "disgrace in the name of judiciary' were spotted.
Justice Mantha had earlier stayed around 20-odd FIRs against West Bengal Leader of Opposition and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Suvendu Adhikari.
Also the judge had removed Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's sister-in-law Maneka Gambhir's shield from arrest in a money laundering case.
Monday's incident has triggered a political blame game in Bengal with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blaming the ruling Trinamool Congress responsible for the incidents.
"TMC wants a committed judiciary. Posters targeting Justice Rajshekhar Mantha plastered all over. Lawyers aligned to the TMC blocked his Court. CJ had to intervene.
"Sought CCTV footage for Court 13. Meeting of Judges in progress to discuss the assault on judiciary,” BJP's national convenor of IT cell Amit Malviya tweeted.
TMC wants a committed judiciary. Posters targeting Justice Rajshekhar Mantha plastered all over Kolkata HC. Lawyers aligned to the TMC blocked his Court.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 9, 2023
CJ had to intervene. Sought CCTV footage for Court # 13. Meeting of Judges in progress to discuss the assault on judiciary… pic.twitter.com/NyZTcjILxH
In response, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, however, said: "We, the TMC, have the highest regard for the judiciary and the judges. Without knowing who has done this and what is the purpose behind it, it would be not right to comment. We are not CPM so we will say ‘Justice Lala bangla chere pala (Justice leave Bengal).”
On Dec 15 last year, Ghosh launched a scathing attack on Justice Mantha after he ordered that FIR cannot be filed against Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari without the high court’s permission.
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