LUDHIANA: Punjab Human Rights Organization has appreciated lawyers of Kapurthala who collectively stood by a client against a police onslaught and rose as one man to defend him.
The PHRO released an investigation report. The police SHO Mohinder Singh Rana tried to abduct Rattan Singh a litigant. This was by a few members of the bar who have fought for the punishment of the guilty officers.
Rattan Singh was present in the court of Judge Harjit Singh in connection with a case and it was established that he was not wanted by the police. The allegation against the SHO was that he was after Rattan Singh to give him money or face harassment.
The lawyers organized strikes and repeatedly met senior officials to force the guilty officers transfer. The advocates felt that the incident violated not only personal rights but also constituted an attack on a person’s access to the judicial system.
PHRO criticized the political parties including the newly elected MP IK Gujral for turning a blind eye to the incident. It was this kind of indifference which made political parties irrelevant, the PHRO said. It also felt unhappy over the role of the superior judiciary who did not awake to protect a litigant at least in court premises. The PHRO advised the press to be more assertive in such cases.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 29, 1989
