Odisha High Court Bar Association Condemns Police Action Against 70-Yr-Old Lawyer At Behest Of Lady IAS Probationer
The Odisha High Court Bar Association has severely condemned the alleged ill-treatment and abuse meted out by the police, at the behest an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Probationer, to an elderly septuagenarian member belonging to the District Bar Association, Balasore.On the evening of June 06, 2025, Advocate Purushottam Das (70) had reportedly gone to meet an MLA in the Circuit...
The Odisha High Court Bar Association has severely condemned the alleged ill-treatment and abuse meted out by the police, at the behest an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Probationer, to an elderly septuagenarian member belonging to the District Bar Association, Balasore.
On the evening of June 06, 2025, Advocate Purushottam Das (70) had reportedly gone to meet an MLA in the Circuit House, Balasore. When he proceeded to the room of the said MLA, he was not available. Thus, the Advocate went in search of the politician in other rooms. Accidentally, he entered inside a room which was in occupation of a lady IAS Probationer Ms. Shamal Kalyanrao Bhagat. Realising his mistake, he immediately left the place.
The lady officer, however, allegedly stopped the lawyer and verbally abused him. Subsequently, a complaint was filed by the trainee-officer with Sahadevkhunta Police, Balasore on June 07 accusing the lawyer of misbehaviour. The police reportedly arrested the lawyer and abused him.
Upon learning about the same, the Bar members of Balasore protested the highhanded action of the police at the behest of the young administrator. The Odisha State Bar Council (OSBC) also took cognizance of the incident on June 13, 2025 and gave an 'ultimatum' to the government to take stringent action against the erring officials within 10 days.
Now, the High Court Bar Association headed by its President Senior Advocate Manoj Kumar Mishra has unanimously condemned the incident. It called out the 'connivance' of the police personnel with the IAS probationer who went on to misbehave with the elderly Advocate in the police station.
“The forceful attempt to obtain the signature of the lawyer on Section 35 of the BNSS Notice clearly reveals that there is lawlessness in the police station and that the police personnel have been totally gained over by the concerned lady officer who has gone out of her limits to harass a lawyer which is absolutely illegal, misuse of power and authority,” the Bar resolution stated.
The Bar body expressed its support to the demand//ultimatum issued by the OSBC and demanded severe action against the erring probationary IAS officer.
“Since the issue is very serious in nature and hampered the prestige and dignity of the lawyer's fraternity. And the Executive Committee of the High Court Bar Association demanded proper, fair, impartial & lawful investigation without being influenced by anybody,” it read.