While the Orissa High Court on Wednesday adjourned to October 10 the hearing of the writ petition pertaining to the lawyers-police standoff, the agitating lawyers of the city, who are on strike since August 29, too decided to continue their strike till Wednesday next.
“The High Court Bar Association general body decided to continue the strike till October 10 and further course of action will be decided on that day,” said association secretary Satyabrata Mohanty.
Notably, the High Court will remain closed for the Puja vacation from October 13 to 24.
Meanwhile, pursuant to an order passed by the Supreme Court on September 27, IGP Arun Kumar Bothra of the Crime Branch has been entrusted to investigate into all the four cases registered by police following the lawyer-police spat on August 28.
The cases, including three against a lawyer, were first handled by an Inspector of the city police. Then following HC orders, the cases were first handed over to a DSP of the Crime Branch and subsequently to a DIG. After the SC order, now the cases will be investigated by IGP Bothra.
Ordering the cases to be investigated by an IGP, a Supreme Court Bench headed by the then CJI Dipak Misra had also directed the lawyers to call off their strike and join their court works. But the lawyers defied the SC order and even burnt an effigy of the CJI.
Notwithstanding the defiance of the apex court order by the lawyers, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday, while adjourning the writ petition to be heard again next week, hoped that the IGP, who is carrying out the investigation, would examine the matter without fear and favour.