Calcutta High Court Bar Association Requests Withdrawal Of All Judicial Work From Judge Over Advocate's Arrest, Resolves To Not Enter His Courtroom

The Calcutta High Court Bar Association has passed a resolution whereby the members of the Bar Association have decided to unanimously refrain from entering the courtroom of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay unless the latter apologises for holding Advocate Prosenjit Mukherjee in criminal contempt, ordering him to be disrobed in open court and sent to civil prison under the custody of the Sheriff without giving him any opportunity of hearing. 

The communication of the Bar Association came as a result of an urgent general body meeting held today (18.12.2023) and has been addressed to Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam.

In the communication by the Bar Association, it has been alleged that in the course of hearing a matter, Justice Gangopadhyay held Mukherjee guilty of criminal contempt and ordered his immediate arrest in the courtroom because the "demurer of Mukherjee while showing an order of the division bench which modified Justice Gangopadhyay's order was improper and contemptuous."

"Even without any order, the advocate was taken into custody from the courtroom without giving an opportunity for hearing," reads the statement.

It further states, "Such conduct did not go down well with the members [of the Bar], who felt unanimously violated and decided to not enter into the courtroom of Justice Gangopadhyay from tomorrow till the Judge apologises to the concerned advocate and members of the Bar."

The General body has also requested the Chief Justice to withdraw all judicial work from Justice Gangopadhyay as the members are apprehensive of similar treatment which may be extended to any of them.