Kolkata: In a serious rebuke of courtroom misconduct, the Calcutta High Court found five advocates, a law clerk and the secretary of the Bongaon Bar Association guilty of criminal contempt for a violent disruption of proceedings at Bongaon Fast Track Court.
The incident occurred during an ex-parte hearing in a matrimonial case on April 5, 2024. According to the judge’s report, a group of lawyers and clerks entered the courtroom, disrupted proceedings, shouted threats and used abusive language. One advocate allegedly tore an affidavit and was said to be intoxicated. The situation escalated when more individuals arrived, forced court staff to leave and locked the courtroom. The presiding judge suffered respiratory distress and had to be hospitalised.
Following a reference from the District Judge, the High Court took up contempt proceedings. The contemnors admitted the incident in affidavits, attributing it to emotional outburst and offered unconditional apologies.
One of the advocates had already been suspended for six months by the Bar Council of Bengal — a sentence he did not appeal. Additionally, during the hearings, the High Court was informed that the Bar Association had made an unauthorised construction on land earmarked for a crèche attached to the special court dealing with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences cases. The structure was later removed following court directions. The Division Bench of Justices Debangsu Basak and Md. Shabbar Rashidi observed that the actions clearly amounted to contempt of court. However, considering the lack of prior misconduct, acceptance of fault and steps taken to restore the POCSO infrastructure, the Court decided not to impose any sentence at this stage. The contemnors were warned that future infractions would not be treated with leniency.