Several lawyers got detained while protesting at the Supreme Court premises. They were finally released after Chief Justice Surya Kant stepped in following a strong complaint from the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
The detained lawyers are now walking free after their protest at the Supreme Court premises. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant confirmed on Saturday that the authorities took this step right after his verbal orders. The Chief Justice told ANI, “Yes, I understand they have been released following my verbal intervention. I am currently out of town.”
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) had earlier demanded the Chief Justice’s urgent help in this matter. They complained that the police detained several people, including senior and women lawyers, during a peaceful protest inside the Supreme Court area. The lawyers also accused the police of using excessive force against them.
The SCBA, the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA), and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta brought the whole issue to the Chief Justice’s notice. He then personally spoke to the authorities, which led to the release of the detained lawyers. Earlier on Saturday, SCBA Honorary Secretary Pragya Baghel wrote a letter to the CJI. She requested him to talk to the concerned officials and make sure the detained lawyers were safe and their exact location was known.
The association also demanded quick legal support for the detained lawyers. They clearly stated that the police must immediately release anyone held without a valid legal reason. The lawyers further demanded strict action against the police officers who allegedly used unnecessary force. The SCBA attached a formal resolution to this letter. The resolution expressed ‘deep concern’ over the detention of lawyers who were just taking part in a peaceful protest at the Supreme Court.
The resolution stated, “The Supreme Court Bar Association requests the Chief Justice of India to urgently intervene and speak with the concerned authorities.” The document also strongly focused on tracking down every detained lawyer, ensuring their safety, and providing them with proper legal help.
All this happened on a busy Saturday when the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held a separate protest at Jantar Mantar. The Delhi police had already set up heavy security across the city because of this, which also caused major traffic jams. The lawyers faced detention right in the middle of this tense protest atmosphere.