The legal community in Kolkata was brought to a standstill as the Calcutta High Court Bar Association declared a halt on all judicial proceedings in response to the alleged assault of a lawyer by police personnel. The incident, involving sub-inspector Sudipto Sanyal at the Nepalganj Police outpost, occurred on the evening of July 21, 2024.
According to the Bar Association’s notice, the lawyer was reportedly attacked by the sub-inspector while attending to a client’s call at the police outpost. The assault was severe enough that the lawyer required emergency medical treatment at Amtala Rural Hospital.
Further exacerbating the situation, the Bar Association claims that Sub-Inspector Sanyal not only assaulted the lawyer but also falsely implicated him under Section 292 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The officer allegedly threatened to accuse the lawyer of narcotics-related offenses as well.
In a swift response, the lawyer lodged a formal complaint with multiple police authorities, including the DG, IG, SP, and IC. He also urged the preservation of CCTV footage from the scene of the incident.
A General Body meeting of the High Court Bar Association was urgently convened, where members unanimously voted to abstain from court proceedings until definitive action is taken against Sub-Inspector Sanyal. The association demands his immediate suspension and appropriate actions against the other officers involved in the incident.
