Sambalpur Court Vandalism: Arrested Lawyers Tortured By SP, Alleges BJP Leader

Sambalpur: The lawyers’ agitation for permanent bench of Orissa High Court in Western Odisha continued to remain in limelight on Saturday as state BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra alleged that the advocates arrested in Sambalpur were subjected to third degree torture by the district collector.

Speaking to the media persons, Mishra condemned the police action on the arrested members of the Sambalpur Bar association and demanded an investigation into the matter. The state government should send a medical team urgently to treat the injured lawyers, he added.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly said the lawyers, who were arrested for allegedly vandalising Sambalpur district court, including the chamber of the district judge Manas Barik, were tortured during police custody. “The Sambalpur SP himself used third-degree torture on the lawyers. Their family members were not even allowed to meet them,” he added.

“A medical report should be prepared in this regard and stringent action taken against the errant police involved in the inhuman act. I was shocked to know that senior lawyers were subjected to third degree torture by the Sambalpur SP,” a local TV channel quoted Mishra as saying.

On Friday, the Sambalpur sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) court rejected the bail pleas of 14 lawyers arrested in connection with the vandalism on the district court premises. Three lawyers from Kuchinda had filed the bail petitions in the SDJM court on Wednesday. They would approach district judge court for the bail, the sources said.

Also Read: Sambalpur Courtroom Vandalism: Bail Plea Of 14 Lawyers Rejected