Security beefed up in HC; police seek lawyers’ cooperation

Source: thehindu.com

The Madras High Court on Tuesday strengthened security on its campus in the wake of a bomb threat letter received by its Registrar General C. Kumarappan on Monday from a person who identified himself to be Hardarshan Singh Nagpal of the ‘International Khaalistan Support Group’ and claimed to have planned multiple bomb blasts inside the court buildings on September 30 along with his son.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, High Court Security, Greater Chennai police, sent a communication to the chairman of Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTNP), the Madras High Court Advocates Association, Women Lawyers Association, Madras Bar Association and Law Association seeking the cooperation of their members to the security measures undertaken by the police on the court campus.

The ADCP said, henceforth, all advocates including those in robes were bound to produce their identity cards on demand by the security personnel and that their vehicles would also be subjected to security check. “It is hereby requested that necessary instructions may be issued to advocates to extend their full cooperation with the police for better security inside the High Court. The cooperation of all associations are solicited in this regard,” he added.

Within hours, BCTNP chairman P.S. Amalraj issued a statement requesting all advocates practising in the High Court as well subordinate courts to cooperate with the police personnel during the security check. He pointed out that the litigants would also have to necessarily produce identification cards before entering the court campus.