The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has condemned the recent killing of an advocate and sought an expedited and fair investigation into the matter.
To ensure the safety and security of lawyers, the SCBA’s executive committee also resolved that the pending Advocates Protection Bill, 2021, be passed at the earliest.
Advocate Virender Kumar Narwal, 53, was shot dead in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka by two bike-borne assailants last Saturday.
“The executive committee of the SCBA has unanimously resolved to condemn the brutal attack on advocate Virender Kumar Narwal practising in New Delhi and the investigation of this attack should be conducted in an expedited and fair manner by the investigating authority, and if the need so arises, a special investigation team (SIT) should be constituted to handle the present case,” the resolution signed by SCBA secretary Rahul Kaushik said.
It said if lawyers, who protect the rule of law, were attacked in such a manner, and the culprits were not expeditiously caught, it would shatter the confidence of the people.
The SCBA’s executive committee also resolves that “the Advocates Protection Bill, 2021, which is pending its parliamentary enactment for almost two years, be passed at the earliest, which will ensure the safety and security of our lawyers while performing their professional obligations fearlessly”, the resolution said.
It said the Bill’s enactment would enforce various provisions for advocates such as providing police protection in certain cases, formation of redressal committees, protection from illegal arrests and malicious prosecutions, waiver of bail bonds, extended protection in cases of privileged communications with clients, and providing insurance, financial aids and loans.
“We hope that our demands shall be considered on priority whereby the culprits will be arrested immediately and a pan India Advocates Protection Act shall soon be passed by the Parliament on priority,” the resolution said.
