Police-Laywers Spat: Orissa HC Postpones Hearing To Nov 15

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court, which was scheduled to hear the ongoing lawyers-police spat on Tuesday, postponed the hearing again to November 15 as the Crime Branch failed to submit the chargesheet pertaining to the case.

Appearing on behalf of the Crime Branch, the government counsel prayed the court to extend the deadline for submitting the chargesheet by another two weeks.

However, due to the protests by the lawyers of the Orissa High Court Bar Association, the division bench of the Chief Justice K S Jhaveri postponed the hearing to November 15.

The Bench on Monday had directed the state government not to revoke the suspension order of the three cops in the incident.

The Orissa High Court Bar Association had expressed displeasure over the withdrawal of suspension orders of two constables and a home guard, facing inquiry for allegedly assaulting the lawyer on August 28.

On the other hand, another bench of Justice C R Das on Tuesday heard the petition filed by the lawyer Debi Prasanna Patnaik against the police apathy. The bench posted its final hearing to November 14.

On the basis of the judgment of the bench, the Orissa High Court Bar Association will take a decision at its general body in the afternoon on November 14.

The High Court on October 30 had directed IG, Crime Branch, Arun Bothra to complete the investigation and submit the charge sheet by November 9. Sitting judge of the High Court Justice C R Das was to monitor the case being probed by the IG, Crime Branch, who is the Investigating Officer (IO). The IO was directed to apprise Justice Das of the status of the probe every day.

Appearing in person, Bothra had informed the court that it would take at least six weeks to complete the charge sheet of the investigation. The Court later decided to hear the petition on the deadline extension plea of the Crime Branch on November 10.

Sources said following a positive outcome emerging at a meeting between the Director General of Police (DGP) RP Sharma and the HC Bar lawyers on November 11 and the hearing of the petition filed by the lawyer Debi Prasanna Patnaik scheduled on November 14 by the High Court bench, it is very likely that the impasse will be over very soon.