JNU row: SC to hear tomorrow plea for action against lawyers

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear tomorrow a plea seeking contempt action against three lawyers who were allegedly caught on camera "bragging and boasting" that they had beaten up JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar and others, including journalists, in a court complex.

"let it be listed tomorrow before the bench concerned," a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice U U lalit said when lawyer Prashant Bhushan sought urgent hearing of the matter filed by another advocate Kamini Jaiswal on the issue.

Bhushan said that a bench headed by Justice Chelameswar had fixed another pending matter on JNU issue for hearing on March 10 and the instant plea needed to be heard urgently.

The plea, which was yesterday filed in the apex court, also sought a direction to set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the incidents of violent attacks on some journalists, students, teachers, defence lawyers and Kanhaiya on February 15 and 17 by some advocates in the premises of Patiala House courts here during the hearing of the sedition case involving the JNUSU leader.

The plea was filed in pursuance of an oral observation by a bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar, which is hearing the matters arising out of violence in the trial court premises in the JNU case, that the allegations are fresh ones and hence, a fresh petition is required to be filed.

It has sought "suo motu contempt proceeding" against lawyers Vikram Singh Chauhan, Yashpal Singh and Om Sharma on the ground that they have allegedly been caught on camera talking about the attacks.

It alleged that the lawyers have interfered in the "administration of justice" and willfully violated the orders passed by the apex court on February 17.