Judicial commission to probe untoward incidents

A judicial commission will probe the untoward incidents that occurred outside the Kerala High Court in which a group of advocates had allegedly attacked media persons during their protests against coverage of the case of an alleged bid by a government pleader to molest a woman in the city last week.
After holding a meeting of representatives of media and High Court Advocates Association here, Advocate General C P Sudhakara Prasad said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ernakulam, will probe the criminal cases that occurred in connection with the incidents.
A day after unruly scenes were witnessed outside the court as some lawyers supporting government pleader Dhanesh Mathew Manjooran allegedly attacked media persons who were standing at a road leading to the Court complex, the Advocate General convened the meeting today following a directive from Acting Chief Justice Thottathil B Radhakrishnan.

"A judicial commission will probe the untoward incidents and the situation that led to such incidents occurring (outside the High Court) on July 20," Prasad told reporters here after the meeting.
According to other decisions taken at the meeting, both the parties will abide by Acting Chief Justice's decision on the media room which has been locked following the advocates' protest inside the High Court Complex.
A media representative, who attended the meeting, said High Court Advocates Association President S U Nazar has given an assurance that all necessary steps will be taken to ensure a friendly atmosphere for journalists to cover court proceedings from tomorrow.

Representatives of Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ), legal correspondents in Kochi, representatives of Bar Council, Kerala High Court Advocates Association, Director General of Prosecution Manjeri Sreedharan Nair and other senior officials of the Advocate General's office attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, a section of lawyers abstained from today's court proceedings to "condemn the attack committed by media persons with the active participation of police".
TV footage had shown media persons being chased and kicked by advocates even as police tried to rescue them. At least five media persons were injured in the attack.