Section of lawyers stage protests at ACB Court, HC over Naidu counsels’ ‘attitude’

Both sides reportedly traded barbs in the course of arguments in the cases; were told to maintain decorum as courts took the matter seriously

The ACB Court on Thursday witnessed a strident criticism of the government lawyers appearing for CID in the fibernet scam case by the team of advocates representing N. Chandrababu Naidu, resulting in utter chaos. 

Judge B.S.V. Himabindu left the courthall in a huff after attempts to restore order failed. The two sides traded barbs over the former CM’s arrest, which the judge took seriously. 

On Friday, a section of lawyers staged protests at the ACB Court and also the High Court (HC) denouncing the attitude of those arguing for Mr. Naidu. 

The occasion was a hearing of the Prisoner Transit (PT) warrant issued by the CID against Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, which Ms. Himabindu allowed, much to the chagrin of the lawyers who were arguing on Mr. Naidu’s behalf. 

Ms. Himabindu was later addressing a pending petition involving the request for call records of the policemen and a gag order on media reportage, when, according to the government lawyers, Mr. Naidu’s team of advocates became aggressive and turned their ire at Y.N. Vivekananda, special public prosecutor for the CID, as he made forceful arguments. 

They reportedly raised objections to Mr. Vivekananda’s origins in Telangana and opposed his very presence in the proceedings.

In a related development, while granting protection to Mr. Naidu in the Amaravati Inner Ring Road alignment case on October 11, the High Court ordered the counsels to maintain decorum in the courtroom and not raise their voices. 

The court reminded them that they were officers of the court and legal proceedings require swift and respectful conduct. 

In response, Mr. Naidu’s legal team conveyed that their aggressive responses were not intended as a sign of disrespect to the court. 

On Friday, Advocate-General S. Sriram flagged Thursday’s incident in the ACB Court during the hearing of a PIL filed by former MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar for a CBI probe into skill development scam.

He brought to the court’s notice that all the State’s law officers were discharging their duties impartially, bereft of the shrillness associated with the political discourse going on outside. The Bench took note of the same.