New Delhi, Feb 26: Terming the Madras High Court violence as "serious" and "sad", the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the state government in Tamil Nadu to transfer four top cops responsible for the police’ excesses against Lewyers while ordering a judicial probe.
A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan also appointed a retired apex court judge Justice B Srikrishna to inquire into the clash between lawyers and police in Madras High Court.
The B Srikrishna committee will submit its interim report within two weeks to the apex court.
The apex court, while trying to restore calm among the agitating lawyers’ community, directed the state government to transfers the Joint Commissioner of Chennai and three Deputy Commissioner of Police for their role in the clashes.
However, the bench stopped short of ordering the suspension of the top cops citing that it would be against the morals of bureaucracy.
The bench allowed the two committees set up by the High Court to assess the damage to the vehicles and the properties of the Court and to look into the injuries caused to the lawyers to function.
The Supreme Court asked the lawyers, who are on a strike since January 29, to withdraw their agitation at the earliest.
The court posted the matter for further hearing on March 3.
Appealing to the agitating lawyers to maintain decorum and discipline in the court, the Bench said they should not hold meetings and shout any slogans in the Court corridors.
The apex court had on Wednesday given a 24 hours deadline to the Tamil Nadu government to inform at whose instance the police had entered the Madras High Court premises on February 19.
The advocate body from Chennai had objected to the setting up of the committee by the Tamil Nadu Government.
The court had earlier ruled out setting up of a judicial inquiry under a sitting judge.
The bench said the incident was serious in which the judges and lawyers became victim of the clash and there was a lot of destruction of property.
The apex court said that the state should generously consider offering financial assistance to the lawyers whose vehicles were damaged by the police in the court premises.
The court said that for those lawyers who were injured in the clash, the state will bear the expenses for their treatment.
The judges also asked the government to remove the police station inside the court premises.
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