Kochi: The Kerala High Court has stated that litigants or lawyers need not plead a case with folded hands, as it is their constitutional right to argue a case before a court of law.
Justice PV Kunhikrishnan made the observation after a litigant, Ramla Kabeer, argued her case with folded hands and tears in her eyes.
The Court said, “Usually the court of law is known as ‘temple of justice’. But there is no god sitting on the bench”.
“The judges are doing their constitutional duties and obligations. But the litigants and lawyers should keep the decorum of the court while arguing the case,” it added.
The litigant was before the court in person to quash a first information report (FIR) registered against her alleging offences punishable under Sections 294(b) (singing, reciting, or uttering obscene song or words in or near a public place), 506(i) (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act.
According to the case, she allegedly telephoned the Circle Inspector of Police at Alappuzha North Police Station a few times and threatened him using abusive words.
Kabeer pleaded before the Court that the case was false.
She said that she had earlier filed a police complaint against a prayer hall being used in a manner that was causing noise pollution in the area. The circle inspector was asked to probe the matter and when she called him to know of the progress, the police officer verbally abused her over the phone, she alleged.
She then filed a complaint before the Police Complaints Authority as well as the Inspector General of Police against the erring official and this irked the officer, she said.
She submitted that the case against her was a counter-case filed by the officer.
The court after going through the case and the arguments quashed the case against Kabeer and ordered a departmental inquiry against the circle inspector.
With inputs from IANS