Ghaziabad Court Unrest: Police File Two More FIRs Against Lawyers Amid Intensifying Strike
Ghaziabad: Police have registered two more First Information Reports (FIRs) against lawyers in connection with the October 29 incident of unrest at a Ghaziabad court. These newly lodged FIRs specifically name 44 lawyers, while 70-80 others remain unidentified. The lawyers, however, have characterized these actions as an attempt to malign their reputation and impede their ongoing agitation.
The protests originated from a disagreement during a bail hearing on October 29, which reportedly escalated into violence and arson, culminating in a police lathi charge within the courtroom. Since the incident, the Ghaziabad Bar Association has been on strike, demanding the transfer of a judicial officer and disciplinary action against the police personnel involved in the lathi charge.
“Two FIRs were registered on Friday at the Kavi Nagar police station. In total, six FIRs have been filed against lawyers since October 29, and investigations are underway. No arrests have been made to date,” stated Abhishek Srivastava, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kavi Nagar Circle.
Initially, two FIRs were filed following the October 29 incident. Subsequently, two additional FIRs were lodged in response to "roadblock protests" conducted on November 11 and 12, during which lawyers allegedly obstructed Hapur Road for two hours on each day.
On Friday, the first of the two latest FIRs was filed based on a complaint by a staff member of a judicial officer. The complaint alleged that a lawyer had entered the officer’s chamber without authorization to seek attestation of documents. This FIR cites sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 267 (intentional insult or interruption of a public servant) and Section 351(2) (criminal intimidation).
The second FIR identifies 43 lawyers by name, alongside 70-80 unidentified individuals, and invokes several provisions of the BNS. These include Section 267 (intentional insult or interruption of a public servant during judicial proceedings), Section 221 (voluntarily obstructing a public servant in the performance of duties), Section 352 (intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of the peace), Section 115(2) (causing voluntary harm), and Section 127(3) (wrongful confinement). The complaint, filed by the central Nazir (court officer), alleges that the lawyers, accompanied by others, engaged in protests within the court premises, exhibited misconduct towards litigants and government counsels, and sought to disrupt judicial proceedings.
“These FIRs are a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of lawyers and derail our legitimate agitation. They have been filed at the behest of judicial officers. The earlier four FIRs lodged against lawyers were similarly motivated,” stated Deepak Sharma, President of the Bar Association. “Our strike will persist until the judicial officer is transferred, and appropriate action is taken against the police officials responsible for the lathi charge within the courtroom,” he asserted.
