Lawyers clash with court staff in Malda

MALDA, Jan. 12: The Malda court premises turned into a battlefield today after a group of lawyers clashed with the employees of the court over a minor issue. Trouble broke out when a lawyer, Mr Sudeb Mandal, sought certified copies of court cases from a government employee. After a brief altercation, the employees of the court allegedly roughed up Mr Mandal, injuring him seriously.Peeved at the incident, the lawyers jumped into action and a clash broke out between the two groups. Later, a few law clerks of the court also joined hands with the employees.The lawyers alleged that the law clerks usually make delay in handing over certified copies of judgments and other related copies, expecting “extra money” for carrying out the job. On the other hand, the law clerks have refuted the allegation. They claimed that Mr Samiran Moitra, a government employee who locked horns with Mr Mandal today, had no corruption record against him. The lawyers later submitted a memorandum to the Malda district judge, demanding stern action against those employees who allegedly assaulted Mr Mandal. Meanwhile, an injured Mr Mandal is undergoing treatment at the Malda district hospital. He has lodged an FIR with the English Bazaar police station against two government employees ~ Mr Samiran Moitra and Mr Manotosh Dutta. Members of Malda Bar Association have threatened cease work over the issue. n SNS