The Calcutta High Court on Monday issued a rule, in connection with “objectionable remarks” against senior counsel Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, against Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh and seven job seekers who participated in the protest.
The Police Commissioner has submitted a report to the court regarding the incident.
Issuing a rule against someone means that the person must appear in person before the High Court and explain why the court should not take strict action against them.
A group of upper primary school job seekers had protested outside the chambers of Calcutta High Court lawyer Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya on April 25. Bhattacharya and fellow lawyer Firdous Shamim —- who were representing people who qualified in the School Service Commission exams of 2016 but were then allegedly deprived of employment in a cash-for-jobs “scam” — were heckled by protesters.
The protesters were demanding to know why the verdict in the creation of the supernumerary posts in the cash-for-jobs scam was being “delayed”. They were accused of making objectionable comments and raising slogans against Justice Biswajit Basu.
Several lawyers from the Bar Association brought the matter to the attention of Calcutta High Court Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, requesting that a contempt of court case be filed. The Chief Justice’s bench expressed displeasure over the incident and allowed the filing of the case.
During the High Court hearing, the counsel for Kunal Ghosh submitted that his client was not present on the day of the incident, claiming that he was giving an interview in Rajarhat at the time. The court observed, “On May 2, we initially said that this was a criminal act. If you receive a contempt notice, you will have to respond within 15 days. Even after that, no one has submitted an affidavit.”
Justice Banerjee remarked, “I don’t want to know why there was a delay. We are issuing a rule against everyone. We are not sending anyone to jail. Answer the rule.”
At the end of the hearing, Ghosh appealed to the Court for 2-3 minutes to make a statement, but the court did not accept his plea.
The next hearing of the case is scheduled for June 16.
While leaving the court, Ghosh said, “Society survives because of the judiciary, I respect the judges. I trust that the three-judge bench will understand.”