Lawyers of TMC legal wing on Wednesday created a huge ruckus in Calcutta High Court demanding the boycott of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay who passed a series of judgements against a few party stalwarts including Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee recently. The TMC lawyers also blocked the doors of the High Court and barred the lawyers from entering the Court of Justice Gangopadhyay.
The situation in the court premises went out of control on Wednesday morning. The protest started as soon as the judge entered his chamber.
TMC workers’ legal wing said, “Justice Gangopadhyay has committed a crime by passing orders in the School Service Commission (SSC) corruption case.”
On Tuesday, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court stayed a single bench order that directed West Bengal minister Partha Chatterjee to appear before the CBI in connection with irregularities in the appointment of assistant teachers in state government-aided schools. Justice Gangopadhyay had also given the CBI liberty to arrest the state minister in the case. He also said in his order that Chatterjee would not be allowed to be hospitalised to avoid the CBI investigation. However, the order was stayed by the HC division bench. So Justice Gangopadhyay moved to the Supreme Court. He appealed to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to look into the matter.
Some of the lawyers have expressed their displeasure over Justice Gangopadhyay ordering a CBI probe in multiple cases. They called for a boycott of the session citing why he went beyond his jurisdiction and spoke out against the division bench. Due to his remnants, the shadow of political conflict has fallen in the court.
After the unprecedented protest, the judge asked the lawyers, where is his mistake? What is the problem in his court? Justice Gangopadhyay told TMC lawyer Chandi Charan Dey, “I am telling you, don’t do politics, I am not doing politics. I want to speak out against corruption.”
In his argument, the judge said, “If you think I made a mistake in speaking against the division bench, then go to the Supreme Court. Why are you protesting like this?” He described the letter as ‘painful’ that was given to him by lawyers.
The Bar Association of Calcutta High Court has brought out a resolution to boycott Justice Gangopadhyay.