New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday warned the lawyers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legal cell, protesting against the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, to carry out protests at their peril.
The division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, questioned how protests can be held by lawyers on court premises.
The matter pertains to a call given by the legal cell of AAP that the lawyers will conduct a protest in all district courts of Delhi as well as the High Court.
The State President of the AAP legal cell, Advocate Sanjeev Nasiar, had given a call to all lawyers to gather in huge numbers to stage their protest on the way Arvind Kejriwal was arrested, showing that there was a conspiracy against him.
He said to show its support for Kejriwal, the lawyers' community has decided to hold a massive protest on Wednesday, March 28 at 12:30 pm.
The letter written by Sanjeev Nasiar said that advocates will gather at all district courts in Delhi, including the Patiala House Court, Dwarka Court, Saket Court, Karkardooma Court, Tis Hazari Court, and Rouse Avenue Court, and hold the agitation there, added Nasiar, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi.
After Justice Manmohan, the Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, was told that the lawyers from all the courts would protest against the arrest of Kejriwal, Justice Manmohan said that the consequences are very severe for organising such a protest in court.
Justice Manmohan said, it may hear the matter tomorrow, it also issued a warning to the lawyers intending to protest inside the court premises.
Justice Manmohan said that protesting against “arrest” in the court premises will have serious consequences, and the law laid down by the Supreme Court will be applied. He further added that the court can’t be withheld and can’t be stopped. He mentioned that litigants cannot be prevented from entering the courts.
The Delhi High Court said that the AAP legal cell cannot take away someone’s fundamental right to approach the court, that is the settled law, adding that if someone does it, he will do it at their peril, and the court will take action if required
The BCI Chairman and Senior Advocate, Manan Kumar Mishra, appealed in a press release to the legal fraternity of the national capital to resist engaging in unwarranted agitation or succumbing to divisive politics.
Mishra also urged the fraternity to uphold the integrity and dignity of the noble profession, refraining from any movement until a competent court unequivocally establishes CM Arvind Kejriwal’s innocence or declares his arrest unjust or unlawful.
Despite the warnings of the Delhi High Court, the lawyers collected in huge numbers and staged a protest under the leadership of Sanjiv Nasiar.