HC meets with lawyers on magistrate's humiliation issue

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday held discussions with the Bar Council members to resolve the spiralling issue of the alleged humiliation of a lady magistrate in a court at the state capital by a group of laywers after she cancelled the bail of a driver of the state road transport corporation.

After the High Court intervened following the incident last week, the police have registered a case against 12 lawyers based on a complaint by the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

Speaking to the media here, a senior Bar Council office bearer said that association members held a meeting earlier on Monday with the Chief Justice and a group of judges who have asked the Council to probe the incident and submit a report on Thursday.

"Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be probing on the incident what happened in the magistrate court. The next day we will hold a meeting with the Bar Association and on Thursday we will submit our report to the High Court," the Bar Council member said.

"We are confident that the issue will be settled and that there are no issues between the bench and the bar. We request that this incident should be seen from the perspective of public good and not be exaggerated," said an advocate who was part of the delegation that discussed with the Kerala High Court.

The High Court first intervened last week, soon after the Kerala Judicial Officers' Association wrote to the court Registrar General about the way Thiruvananthapuram Judicial First Class Magistrate Deepa Mohan was humiliated.

The incident occurred on November 27 when she cancelled the bail of a state-run transport corporation driver after a witness complained of threats by the latter.

Incensed by Mohan's decision, a group of lawyers expressed their anger after she returned to her chamber.

She later gave a written complaint to the Chief Judicial Magistrate and on Thursday her complaint was forwarded to the local police station which registered a case against 12 lawyers under non-bailable charges.