The Calcutta High Court has swiftly stepped in after a troubling incident involving a mob that harassed lawyers and defaced a judge’s portrait outside the courtrooms in Kolkata.
A Division Bench, led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee, was alerted on Monday by concerned lawyers, who expressed their fears of growing intimidation.
The Court, taking immediate action, issued notices to the Advocate General, the Additional Solicitor General, and the bar associations, urging them to address the matter.
Lawyers reported that the chaotic scene unfolded on April 25 when a mob surrounded several attorneys near their chambers, allegedly linked to litigants involved in a case before Justice Biswajit Basu. The protestors reportedly verbally abused, physically assaulted, and even disparaged the judge, leaving the legal professionals feeling unsafe.
In a particularly shocking turn, the mob also vandalized a photograph of Justice Basu, an act which only deepened the sense of alarm among the legal community.
After being informed of the incident, Chief Justice Sivagnanam called for intervention, noting that the mob dispersed around 8 PM. He firmly remarked that those involved in legal proceedings should not be allowed to engage in street protests while their cases are active in court.
The issue is set to be addressed in the coming days, with the Court preparing to take further steps to ensure such incidents do not recur.
