Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Friday granted conditional bail to 29 lawyers arrested on charges of vandalism on court premises and assault on the District Judge in his official chamber on December 12, 2022, during an agitation over setting up of a High Court bench in Odisha’s Sambalpur district.
While passing the verdict, which it had reserved after the hearing in the case on Thursday, the HC asked the lawyers not to hold public meetings or issue comments or give ideas related to their demand to anyone. The arrestees had submitted an unconditional apology before the court.
The contempt case against them in the Supreme Court, however, will continue.
THE COURT ORDER
>> Lawyers shall not hold any public meeting relating to the case
>> Lawyers shall not post any opinion/remarks/views in print or electronic/social media relating to the case
>>Lawyers shall not glorify/publicise their release from custody
>> Shall submit an undertaking on or before April 1 in Supreme Court not to indulge in any such act of picketing/strike
The court further said that violations of conditions would lead to cancellation of the bail.
The lawyers had been languishing in the Sambalpur jail for more than 50 days with their bail plea being rejected in the local courts.
Notably, the apex court had taken a serious view of the conduct of the lawyers and directed the state police to take strict action against the agitators, whom it had earlier directed to get back to work or face contempt and suspension of licence.
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