Malerkotla: Members of the Malerkotla Bar Association on Tuesday staged a protest and gheraoed the Deputy Commissioner’s office for several hours, alleging misconduct by the Deputy Commissioner towards advocates and objecting to the registration of a police case against a lawyer in connection with a property registration matter.
The protest was led by Bar Association president Arvind Singh Mavi, with a large number of advocates, including women lawyers, participating in the demonstration.
The agitating lawyers marched from the court complex to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, raising slogans before gathering outside the official’s chamber.
Senior police officers, including SP Gursharanjit Singh and DSP Yadvinder Singh, reached the spot and held discussions with the protesting advocates in an attempt to defuse the situation.
Following the intervention, Deputy Commissioner Viraj S. Tirke met the lawyers and sought to address their grievances and clear what he described as misunderstandings.
Addressing the gathering, former Bar Association general secretary Advocate Mohammad Ayaz alleged that the Deputy Commissioner had recommended police action against an advocate who had prepared documents in a land registration case.
Ayaz further alleged that the Deputy Commissioner had been unhappy with lawyers after a High Court order directing the vacation of the official residence, a claim made by the protesting lawyers. There was no immediate response from the district administration to the allegation.
