New Delhi: Hours after the Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a stern warning against organising protests within the precincts of any courts in the national capital, the Chairman of Bar Council of India (BCI) appealed Delhi’s legal fraternity to “resist the temptation of engaging in unwarranted agitation or succumbing to divisive politics.”
In a press statement, senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra urged lawyers to refrain from making any movement until a competent court unequivocally establishes Arvind Kejriwal’s innocence or declares his arrest unjust or unlawful.
“It is to be noted that historically, lawyers’ movements have often been rooted in just causes, defending freedom, upholding the constitution, and safeguarding the judiciary or democracy. However, in the current scenario, where the concerned court has already validated Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, and the High Court has also refused to interfere in the matter, the situation appears to be grave, indicative of corruption,” Mishra said.
Cautioning lawyers against any premature involvement, the Chairman of the bar body said until a competent court pronounces CM Kejriwal innocent, any sort of protest by lawyers would be unjustified.
“We must guard against attempts to politicise and divide the lawyer fraternity staying focused on our professional duties. While acknowledging the potential threats to democracy, the constitution, or the judiciary in the future, it is essential to trust the mechanisms in place, including the Bar Council of India, to address such concerns judiciously,” Mishra said.
Reportedly, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had issued an appeal to the legal fraternity of Delhi, urging lawyers to protest against the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy scam case.
Earlier in the day, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora of the Delhi High Court observed that “consequences are very severe for organising a protest in court.”
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