High Court warns of contempt in Kashmiri students’ sedition case
BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday cautioned that it will take action under the Contempt of Courts Act if any advocate prevents a colleague who desires to file bail applications on behalf of the three Kashmiri students. It directed the Hubballi Police Commissioner to collect the names and addresses of the advocates if they protest against filing bail pleas or raise slogans in court premises. At the same time, the court appreciated the gesture of Hubballi Bar Association for modifying its decision to boycott these students.
A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Hemant Chandangoudar issued this direction while hearing a public interest litigation filed against the Hubballi Bar Association which resolved not to file vakalath on behalf of the accused students who have been arrested for raising pro-Pakistani slogans.
Meanwhile, the bench also appreciated Advocate General (AG) Prabhuling K Navadgi for succeeding in his talks with Hubballi Bar Association which modified its decision.. The AG submitted that the earlier resolution was modified, on receiving instructions from the president, vice president and secretary of the Bar Association, who were present in the court. It asked the Bar to pass resolution cancelling its earlier resolution to boycott. Meanwhile, the petitioners’ counsel submitted that the office-bearers of the Bar Association made efforts to cooperate with the advocates who desire to appear for the accused.