The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who appeared before the Special Lokayukta Court on Tuesday along with his kin, and advocate Sandip Patil, were heckled by a group of lawyers here.
The Lokayukta Court had issued a non-bailable warrant on Monday against Mr. Yeddyurappa, his sons B.Y. Raghavendra and B.Y. Vijayendra, son-in-law R.N. Sohan Kumar and the former Minister S.N. Krishnaiah Setty asking them to appear before court. Mr. Yeddyurappa and the others appeared in court along with advocate to convince the judge to retract the warrant. While Judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao was convinced with their arguments and retracted the warrant, Mr. Yeddyurappa and his team had to encounter the group of lawyers. According to sources, the situation would have turned violent if senior police officials had not intervened.
Accompanied by Mr. Sandip Patil, Mr. Yeddyurappa and the others entered the court around 11 a.m. The group of lawyers accosted them in court and demanded that they adhere to the boycott call given by the Advocates Association Bangalore.
They even asked the judge to not conduct the proceedings. The judge told them that he will have them arrested if they did not leave the court room.
But things did not end there. The advocates regrouped in the corridor outside the courtroom and started creating a ruckus. They left only after the judge instructed the Lokayukta Police to take down the names of the lawyers who were creating trouble.
By this time, the police sentries informed their superiors of the brewing tension. Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) T. Suneel Kumar rushed to the court premises with more security and ensured a safe passage for the former Chief Minister and his team.
But the advocates who had gathered in the corridors and outside reportedly abused Mr. Yeddyurappa and blamed him for the arrest of Advocates Association general secretary A.P. Ranganath, a Janata Dal(S) supporter. An eye-witness said that though the former Chief Minister was upset with the behaviour of the advocates, he chose to remain silent.
“There were some arguments between Mr. Yeddyurappa's lawyers and the other lawyers in the court. We intervened to prevent anybody from being hurt,” Mr. Suneel Kumar said.
