Lawyers in State Capital on Tuesday refrained from judicial work protesting against the board day light murder of fellow lawyer at Tamar in rural area of Capital. The lawyers holding placards and banners took out a protest march from Ranchi District Bar Association (RDBA) to Albert Ekka Chowk. The lawyers demanded the implementation of the Advocates Protection Act in the State.
Earlier, on Monday afternoon a middle aged practicing lawyer Manoj Jha was killed by motorcycle-borne assailants in Radgaon area under Tamar police station. Police said that the deceased was in his car with his driver around 500m from the busy National Highway-33 connecting Ranchi and Jamshedpur, when five assailants on two bikes opened fire at the lawyer. Police sources said that it came to light that he was attacked when he was overseeing wall construction on a big plot which was disputed earlier.
As per information, the lawyer was getting the work done on behalf of one of his clients, an educational institution, on the 14-acre plot. The assailants overpowered Jha’s driver at gunpoint and pumped several bullets before escaping.
Reacting strongly over the death of Jha, Jharkhand State Bar Council chairman Rajendra Krishna said, “The board daylight murder of a practicing lawyer is a serious issue. The incident exposes the poor law and order situation in State Capital.” Jharkhand State Bar Council member Sanjay Vidrohi demanded the implementation of Advocates Protection Act in the state. The Advocates Protection Act is for the protection of advocates and their functions in discharge of professional duties. The Act is stated to be the protection of advocates and to remove obstructions in the discharge of their duties.
He said that in recent time incidents like assault and murder against advocates have increased. In view of this, the Protection Act is needed.
This is not the first time that demands for setting up the Advocates Protection Act. The State Bar Council had placed their demands for implementation of Advocates Protection Act during the tenure of Chief Raghubar Das, but the act could not be implemented. The then Government had asked for a draft copy of the Act. After this, action was started on behalf of the Government. But after the formation of the new Government and given the conditions in Corona, the process regarding the Act slowed down.
The lawyers demanding arrest of culprits behind the murder of Jha also submitted a memorandum to SSP demanding arrest of persons behind the incident. Meanwhile, the Jharkhand High Court Advocates association too has taken strong cognizance over the death of Jha.
The association has written a letter to the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court demanding a probe over the incident by a judge of vigilance court.
Advocates hold placards and shout slogans as they protest the murder of their colleague, in Ranchi on Tuesday. PNS