KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a strong response to the brutal assault of a junior lawyer, the Bar Council of Kerala (BCK) has decided to initiate suo motu disciplinary proceedings against Advocate Beyline Das, who allegedly attacked 26-year-old junior advocate Shamily Justin inside his office at Vanchiyoor.
In an extraordinary meeting held on Wednesday, the BCK also unanimously decided to restrain Beyline from practising in any court, tribunal, or legal authority until the conclusion of the proceedings.
BCK chairman Advocate Ajith T S said that the decision was taken after reviewing an interim report submitted by a specially constituted sub-committee, along with reports from the Vanchiyoor Bar Association and the formal complaint lodged by the woman lawyer. The resolution will be officially communicated to the Registrar of the Kerala High Court and the district judiciary.
Despite the serious nature of the assault, the police are yet to arrest Advocate Beyline Das. Sources indicate that he may file an anticipatory bail plea, which has reportedly slowed police action. The attack took place on Tuesday around 12.30 pm, shortly after Shamily returned from court.
She claims that a minor disagreement regarding her continued employment led to Beyline slapping her multiple times, resulting in visible facial injuries.
Shamily also alleged that this was not the first instance of violence -- she had been assaulted earlier during her pregnancy. She further stated that some Bar Association members tried to prevent the police from arresting Beyline from his office, a claim that has drawn sharp criticism.
Law Minister P Rajeeve visited the injured lawyer and promised full government support. He confirmed that the state has urged the Bar Council to act against Beyline for professional misconduct and has asked police to investigate whether office-bearers obstructed his arrest. Members of the Women’s Commission have also met with Shamily and recorded her statement.