Shillong, July 30: The Shillong Bar Association has strongly condemned the alleged misconduct involving senior advocate and his lady intern, while also expressing concern over the reported manner in which the advocate was apprehended and taken to Sadar Police Station.
In a press statment issued on Thursday, the Association said its Executive Committee convened an emergency meeting on July 29 following reports circulating on social media on July 28 and a newspaper report published on July 29 regarding the alleged incident.
The Association said that, if established, the alleged conduct by the senior Advocate would constitute a violation of professional ethics, constitutional values and the dignity of the individual, and was wholly unacceptable.
In view of the seriousness of the allegations, the Association resolved to issue a show-cause notice and take stringent action, including suspension of senior Advocate’s membership of the Association, pending investigation and inquiry by the competent authorities, including the police and the Disciplinary Committee of the State Bar Council.
At the same time, the Association expressed serious concern over the reported actions of certain non-state actors in allegedly apprehending, assaulting and parading senior Advocate from his office chamber at Keating Road, Shillong, to Sadar Police Station.
It said that regardless of the circumstances or allegations involved, no individual should be treated in such a manner, adding that taking the law into one’s own hands undermines the rule of law and constitutional governance and could jeopardise legitimate and genuine cases of aggrieved parties.
The Shillong Bar Association said it fully supports and calls for a lawful, impartial and expeditious investigation into both the alleged misconduct and the reported vigilantism by non-state actors through proper judicial and legal processes established by law.
