Mumbai: Lawyers to skip work at sessions court on Friday to protest murder of advocate couple

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Lawyers will reportedly remain absent from work at the sessions court in Mumbai on Friday to protest the recent murder of an advocate couple in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district, their association has said, according to the PTI.

According to the PTI, the Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court Bar Association on Thursday held an extraordinary general body meeting where all its members condemned the double murder, the lawyers' body said in a release.

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The association members unanimously resolved that they would remain absent from work on Friday (February 2) at the city sessions court in demand of the Advocates Protection Act in Maharashtra, the release added, as per the PTI.

Last week, the advocate couple from Rahuri in Ahmednagar district were tortured and killed by five men, who had apparently demanded Rs 5 lakh from the victims.

The bodies were later dumped in a well, as per the PTI.

Meanwhile, the Borivali Advocate Bar Association (BABA) disrupted court proceedings yet again as they demonstrated to express their outrage over the murder of a lawyer couple in Ahmednagar. They paid homage to the deceased by displaying their photographs within the court premises and called for immediate implementation of the Advocate Protection Bill.

President of the Bar Association, Rajesh More, highlighting the escalating instances of assaults on lawyers, said that the issue is severe and urged the government to promptly address the matter. He said there's a pressing need to take swift action. More added that BABA had secured an appointment with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and planned to meet with them to discuss the issue.

Borivali Advocate Bar Association Secretary Surendra Landge also demanded the swift implementation of the bill. He warned that if this demand is not met, all bar associations at the Mumbai level will unite in protest.

Senior lawyer Ashok Sutrale expressed concern over the lack of protection for court employees, including peons and clerks. He noted that when court employees face misconduct, the police administration often takes action under the section pertaining to interference in government work. He said that despite being considered officers of the court, they have inadequate protection.

(with PTI inputs)