HC asks TN Bar Council to spell out mechanism to act against errant lawyers

The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to spell out the mechanism it was following to take action against lawyers who have misbehaved with police personnel on duty at public places.

Justice M Dhandapani gave the direction when a criminal original petition from advocate Tanuja Rajan @ Tanuja Kanthula and her daughter Preeti Rajan, residents of Chetpet, seeking advance bail, came up for hearing.

The duo said they apprehended arrest as a case was filed against them following a complaint from some police personnel who alleged misbehaviour (over following COVID-19 guidelines like wearing mask).

A video clip of the two women angrily arguing with police personnel in a public place recently went viral in the social media.

The judge observed that the mechanism that is in place to take action against such individuals, who involve themselves in indisciplined acts and misbehave with officials on duty, are not clearly spelt out by the TN Bar Council.

As the present issue has larger ramifications, the TN Bar Council must be impleaded as a party respondent in the present case, the court said and directed the council to file a status report by June 17.

The report should spell out the mechanism that is in place for taking action against erring advocates and action that has been taken against such lawyers who have misbehaved in public place with officials on duty.

The judge observed that during the pandemic, the health workers and uniformed service personnel are performing an arduous duty with diligence and without even caring about their health and well being.

There are however a few miscreants, who, with scant respect to the work done by the law enforcing agency, tussle with police personnel.

The judge posted the matter to June 17.