Condemning the attack on journalists at Bangalore's civil court complex on Friday, Press Council of India chairman Justice Markandey Katju has called for “severe punishment” to be meted out to lawyers who allegedly “took the law into their own hands and physically attacked media persons.”
The clash took place when journalists arrived at the court to cover the appearance of the former BJP Minister and mining baron, Janardhan Reddy, in a case.
While some lawyers claimed that it was the members of the press who attacked the advocates, Justice Katju disagreed. “I do not believe this version since the TV footages I have seen only show media persons with injuries and no lawyers with injuries,” he said in a statement.
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“In my opinion, those lawyers who have committed this outrage deserve severe punishment in accordance with law, and no leniency should be shown to them as they appear to have violated their solemn duty as Officers of the Court.”