In a major setback to the State Government, particularly to the police department, the Orissa High Court on Monday restored the suspension of the three policemen, whose suspension had been revoked by the Government last week.
The policemen were placed under suspension for “misconduct” after they had allegedly thrashed an advocate in full public glare at a busy marketplace here on August 28. But while the standoff between police and lawyers was still unresolved and the matter was pending before the High Court, the Government on November 3 reinstated the suspended cops.
“In our considered opinion, during pendency of this case, the State Government ought not to have done that without permission of the court,” said an order passed by a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice KS Jhaveri. The order of revoking the suspension of the policemen is put in abeyance, the High Court said, adding, “The order of suspension of those employees of Odisha police is restored.” In a related development, Justice CR Dash of the High Court, who is now monitoring the police investigations of all the criminal cases arising out of the police-lawyer standoff, on Monday proposed a compromise formula to end the two-and-a-half-month row and that seems to be acceptable to the lawyers, who are on strike since August 29.
Although details of Justice Dash’s formula was not known yet, sources said Justice Dash has suggested to summon the concerned policemen and the ‘victim’ advocate to the court, wherein the policemen would express regret for the August 28 assault on the advocate and simultaneously, the advocates would also express regret for the October 29 assault on some policemen who were on duties inside the court.
Meanwhile, the striking lawyers at a general body meeting of the High Court Bar Association on the day decided to continue their stir till Wednesday, the day Justice Dash’s formula is going to be worked out.