The Panchkula District Bar Association observed a one-day strike on Tuesday, alleging that the Haryana Police had not acted on a complaint registered by an advocate against a serving Lieutenant Colonel posted at the Chandimandir Military Station.
Earlier, on July 10, the police had filed an FIR against advocate Maninder Singh Bitta and several other lawyers. They were accused of assaulting Lieutenant Colonel Ashish Chandok, illegally confining him and forcing him to sign a written agreement. The FIR includes charges of causing grievous injuries and wrongful confinement. No one has been arrested even 72 hours after the case was registered.
The Bar Association has now made counter-allegations against Lieutenant Colonel Chandok. It claimed that he assaulted and misbehaved with Maninder Singh inside the court premises. According to the association, the officer also threatened to kill the advocate if he continued to represent his wife in court and claimed that no lawyer could take action against him. Bitta has also filed a complaint with the police.
An emergency meeting of the Bar Association's executive committee was held on Tuesday. Members unanimously decided to stay away from court work for the day in support of Bitta.
According to the police FIR, Lieutenant Colonel Chandok has been attending hearings in three cases filed by his wife in the Panchkula Family Court over the last one year. The couple has been living separately.
In his complaint, Chandok told the police that during a hearing on July 9, advocate Bitta and a few others misbehaved with him inside the court. He alleged that they later called around 10 to 17 lawyers, who assaulted him outside the courtroom.
He further alleged that the lawyers took him to the chamber of advocate N.S. Sodhi, where they kept him against his will and assaulted him again.
Chandok claimed that Bitta and the others forced him to sign a raazinama (settlement agreement), threatening that he would not be allowed to leave unless he signed the document.
In his statement to the police, Chandok said he signed the document without reading it because of the alleged threats. He said he was allowed to leave the court complex only after signing it.
A medical examination later confirmed that Lieutenant Colonel Chandok had sustained two injuries.
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