J&K sex racket: Lawyers continue strike

PTI / Jun 30, 2006, 15:43 IST

Share

AA

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Members of the Jammu Bar Association struck work for the third day on Friday, demanding the transfer of the trial of the sex racket case.

JAMMU: Members of the Jammu Bar Association (JBA) struck work for the third day on Friday, demanding the transfer of the trial of the sex racket case from Srinagar and opposing the actions of the Kashmir Bar Association.
Over 250 lawyers of the JBA led by the body's president DV Wazir and secretary Abhinav Sharma staged a protest at the high court complex at Janipur and shouted slogans against the Kashmir Bar Association, which they accused of "anarchy".
The JBA has opposed the decision of its Kashmir Valley counterpart to bar lawyers from representing the accused in the sex racket.
It has also demanded the transfer of the case from Srinagar to Jammu to ensure a "fair trail in a secure environment".

Some of the protestors claimed there was a "war" between separatists and nationalists in the Kashmir Valley over the sex scandal as some of the accused are nationalists.
Demanding the transfer of the case from Srinagar in view of pressures from the Kashmir Bar Association, the lawyers their strike would continue till this was done.
Slamming Kashmir Bar Association president Abdul Qayoom for "dictating terms" in the case, Abhinav Sharma told reporters, "Qayoom's statement that the JBA strike is wrong and unjustified is baseless.
"How is our democratic strike wrong while diktats to lawyers in the Kashmir Valley and threats to Jammu-based lawyer Sunil Sethi are justified?" he asked.
Sethi, the brother of sex racket accused Anil Sethi, has said he was threatened by unidentified gunmen when he went to Srinagar to represent his sibling.

End of Article

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA