The All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ) expressed concern over more than 20 lawyers being behind bars in Odisha’s Sambalpur district for nearly two months, saying their bail pleas were not being considered.
These lawyers were accused of barging into the courtroom and threatening judicial officers on December 12, 2022, in the western Odisha city of Sambalpur, demanding a separate bench of the Orissa High Court.
The Supreme Court had taken strong exception to the alleged violence and pulled up the Odisha Police for failing to maintain law and order. The agitating lawyers were picked up on the basis of footage from closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) after Odisha’s Director General of Police assured the top court of action.
“Police took partisan action by picking up lawyers and registering cases under various stringent sections of the IPC, while more than 28,000 people had gathered in the court premises. Their bail plea has been rejected in the lower court, while the Orissa High Court is considering the bail pleas of these lawyers,” said Guru Prasad Mohanty, a senior advocate at the Orissa High Court, who led the AILAJ delegation in Sambalpur. Other members of the delegation were Agasti Kanungo, Dhanoj Kumar Sahu and Panchsnan Sahu.
“These lawyers are in jail for an offense which is bailable. Bail is their right and they are not seeking any favor from anyone. Their cases should be considered on merits,” Mr. Mohanty said.
As the lawyers are in jail, the litigants whom they represent are going through dire times, he said. Four lawyers are women.
AILAJ also expressed concern over members of other bar unions not coming to the jail premises to express solidarity. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court refused to withdraw the contempt cases filed against these lawyers.