Speaking on the cognisance taken by the Supreme Court on the Noida court incident, BJP spokesperson and Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia said that this is his dignified response to those spreading hate and rumours against him.
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court presided by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud along with Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra on Thursday took suo motu cognisance over the incident involving snatching of the band of Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia in the District Court, Gautam Buddh Nagar by striking lawyers.
"This is my dignified reply to people who were spreading hatred, rumours, morphing pictures and to the hooligan masquerading as a lawyer who snatched my band yesterday." Bhatia said.
The top court today issued notice to the President & Secretary of the Bar Association, seeking a report from the District Judge.
Bhatia said that it is very unfortunate that a woman lawyer was also physically abused in the same court premises yesterday and the top court has taken cognisance of the same also.
"Ordinarily, we would have insisted on a petition. But the attack on two members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) is serious. We accordingly direct the Register to register a suo motu writ petition. Notice shall be issued to the President, Secretary of the Jan path Diwani Bar Association Gautam Budh Nagar returnable on April 1," the bench said while dictating order today.
The bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud directed the District Judge of Gautam Budh Nagar to ensure that the CCTV footage of the incident is in safe custody pending further orders.
The bench has further said that the District Judge should submit a report to the Supreme Court on the incident.
"District Judge shall also obtain a report from the administrative staff attached to Court 8 in whose court Ms Muskan Gupta has alleged the manhandling took place," the court ruled.
A woman advocate Muskan Gupta who was also manhandled along with Bhatia, told the top court that she was to appear in the court no.8 at the District Court complex. However, she was asked to seek adjournment when a group of lawyers entered the court and asked her to remove the band and leave the court. She has told the court that she was physically manhandled.
The CJI while passing the order also said that the Supreme Court has deprecated strikes by bar associations on several occasions.
"Reasons for this is members of the bar represent individual litigants involving their grievances. Hence a strike by the members of the bar immediately affects the litigants who are the most vital stakeholder." CJI said.