HC lawyers’ cease-work stir against ‘criminal intimidation’
Times of India | 21 November 2025
Kolkata: After lawyers resorted to cease work alleging police highhandedness, Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Sujoy Paul on Thursday requested the Bar of Calcutta High Court to resume legal work from Friday. He assured that he would look into the Wednesday incident when five cops allegedly ‘criminally intimidated' a lawyer and his client on the high court premises.
Alleging constant police harassment, persecution, and criminal intimidation, more than 150 Bar Association members on Thursday decided to abstain from participating in court proceedings, the association's secretary, Sankar Prasad Dalapati, informed. They sought the ACJ to summon the commissioner of Kolkata Police and the DIG of West Bengal to address the issues.
"ACJ Paul assured us that action will be taken in three days. The high court administration has already checked the CCTV footage and identified the five cops. The ACJ has requested us to get back to court proceedings on Friday. But a general body meeting will take place on Friday morning to decide whether we will continue with the process or resume court proceedings. However, ACJ Paul's word is assuring for now. We hope that the culprits are brought to book soon," Dalapati said.
"The issue has been raised and subsequently taken up at the highest levels, and an enquiry to establish facts has begun. The divisions against whom complaints have been raised will not be part of the probe," said a highly placed official at Lalbazar.
In a letter to the ACJ, it was mentioned that police officers from Garden Reach police station had criminally intimidated advocate Binoy Shaw and his client. Another incident near Gariahat police station was stated in which a lawyer was allegedly manhandled by a traffic sergeant. In this case, a complaint was filed, but it was claimed the cops remained silent.
ACJ Paul was informed of the resolution taken at 10.10 am. The courtrooms, which on a usual day are bustling with lawyers and their clients from 10.30 am till 5 pm, remained fairly empty. Judges were informed of the resolution, and many cases were pushed for a later date due to the non-presence of counsels.