The Hindu : Front Page : Judges gheraoed, chaos in Karnataka High Court

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Tuesday, Nov 10, 2009
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Judges gheraoed, chaos in Karnataka High Court

Staff Reporter

Lawyers raise slogans against Chief Justice Dinakaran

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Lawyers assemble before the Karnataka High Court in Bangalore on Monday to protest against Justice P.D. Dinakaran.

BANGALORE: In an unprecedented incident, agitating advocates on Monday disrupted the proceedings in the court hall of the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, P.D. Dinakaran. They also raised slogans against him and forced him to adjourn the court for some time.

Around 200 advocates also gheraoed Justices V. Gopala Gowda and B.V. Nagaratna when the latter did not heed their demand not to conduct the proceedings.

The lawyers locked the doors of the hall where the judges were sitting and cut off power supply. The two judges were able to leave Court Hall No. 2 only after Mr. Justice Dinakaran and several other judges came and escorted them through the jostling crowd.

The advocates had turned up in force to ensure that the boycott of all court proceedings in the State, called by the Advocates Association of Bangalore (AAB), was heeded.

Tension began building up in the High Court around 11 a.m. when the lawyers found that the proceedings were going on. They began raising slogans against Mr. Justice Dinakaran and asked their colleagues to abstain from the court.

The advocates then barged into the court hall and raised slogans against the Chief Justice. They abused the lawyers present in the court, assaulted some, and physically removed them from the court.

Mr. Justice Dinakaran urged the agitators to let him speak. He said he had no occasion to speak of the “pain and suffering” he had undergone in recent days. “I have given my explanation. My silence should not be construed as admission of guilt. As a judge, I have to function and discharge my constitutional obligation and that is what I am doing.”

With the lawyers refusing to permit him to continue, the Chief Justice left the court hall only to return in the afternoon.

Two journalists were also assaulted by the advocates.

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