Kolkata, Jan 16 (IANS): As the three members of the Bar Council of India reached the Calcutta High Court on Monday to investigate the protests by a section of lawyers in front of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha's court on last Monday and Tuesday, a major section of Bar Council of West Bengal, mostly close to ruling Trinamool Congress, observed a "Black Day" in the court premises.
This section of the lawyers claimed that the inspection team from the Bar Council of India was a deliberate attempt to undermine the legal right of democratic protests of the advocates.
On Monday, while the three members of the BCI were having a meeting with Calcutta High Court's Registrar General at the latter's room within the court premises, Bar Council of West Bengal Chairman and Trinamool legislator, Ashok Deb suddenly made an unscheduled entry to that room.
However, the Registrar General immediately asked him to leave and stated that Deb did not have the permission to enter the room. However, instead of getting into any counter-argument, Deb immediately went out.
Later the section of the lawyers observing Black Day alleged that the Bar Council of India announced the decision to send a team keeping the Bar Council of West Bengal totally in the dark and hence, they decided to protest against the decision of India. They also alleged that it was also unfortunate that the team did not have a single representative from the state bar council.
The inspection team also checked the CCTV footage on the ruckus in front of Justice Mantha's court last week. The team will submit a detailed report to the Bar Council of India on January 17 following which the council will take the decision to file a criminal suit against the advocates involved in the ruckus.
Meanwhile, in a related matter on Monday, advocate Shamim Ahmed filed a public interest litigation at the division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj on the issue of ruckus in front of Justice Mantha's court last week. The division bench had admitted the petition and the hearing in the matter will take place soon.