Tripura lawyers threaten stir

AGARTALA - Lawyers in Tripura Tuesday threatened to launch a massive stir if the state government did not take action against the police officials responsible for the “illegal detention” of a senior advocate.

A six-member team of lawyers met Chief Minister Manik Sarkar to seek action against the erring police officials. They said they would launch a protest from Friday if action was not taken.

“The chief minister has assured us to take appropriate action at the earliest,” senior Gauhati High Court lawyer Pijush Kanti Biswas told reporters after the meeting.

Following a molestation complaint by a woman, senior lawyer Pradyot Kumar Dhar was arrested last Thursday and taken to West Kotowali police station here.

“Despite it being a bailable offence, Dhar was denied bail and detained the whole night in the police lock-up,” said Tripura Bar Association president Rakhal Debnath.

“Under section 50 of CrPC, the detainee is entitled to get bail. Unfortunately, Dhar, despite being in practice for 30 years, was denied bail and police did not inform his family of his detention.”

A police official said that the women in her complaint alleged that Dhar molested her when she went to seek legal advice.

Police are now investigating the case against Dhar, who also filed a separate complaint alleging that some people attacked his house Thursday night.

Police also filed a case against 150 lawyers for vandalising the state police headquarters here when around 300 advocates went to meet state police chief K. Salim Ali Friday to demand action against the errant police officials.