All the 13 women activists who were arrested on Saturday on charges of assaulting an advocate and vandalising the court buildings were remanded to judicial custody for 15 days on Tuesday.
They could not apply for bail since advocates avoided them for beating up an advocate H. Nabachandra during the melee on Saturday. The assaulted advocate said he merely asked the agitators not to damage court properties. The activists were trying to assault K. Helen, a young housewife who allegedly killed her husband, Arun in collusion with her paramour, N. Ravi.
All of them were produced in the chief judicial magistrate court, Imphal west on Tuesday.
However, their bail applications could not be taken up as no advocate was available to represent them.
Male and female activists of Bamon Kampu, Imphal east district who took up the violent agitation on Monday tendered an apology through the media for the damages in the court complex and assaulting the advocate.
‘Travesty of justice’
Some members of the public felt there will be a travesty of justice since advocates are refusing to take up the activists' case. On Monday members of All Manipur Bar Association and All Manipur High Court Advocates Association staged a sit-in protest near the court complex condemning the vandalism and assault of the advocate.
Such violent incidents are common occurrences in Imphal. Government sources said entry of visitors will be restricted into the courts and any person who is not an interested party shall be denied permission.
