A crusader lawyer, who has been at the forefront of campaigns to expose shortcomings in the judiciary, was caught on the wrong foot when a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court passed an unprecedented order directing the accused to be admitted in a mental hospital on Monday.

The agitated members of the Bar on Tuesday announced boycott of the judge, Justice Uma Nath Singh and have demanded impeachment proceedings against him.

The case itself did not have anything to do with the lawyer Tahar Singh’s crusading spirit but pertained to a marital dispute with his wife, who had lodged a complaint alleging relentless torture by her husband which she said had sent their children into depression.

Taking suo motu notice of the complaint, Justice Singh said, “This court is prima facie of the opinion that the accused is a worst case of mental disorder. It is also learnt from the Bar that the accused creates nuisance and commotion... wherever he goes.” Not stopping at this, the judge also commented adversely on the role of the police and handed over the case to the CBI and asked the Superintendent of Police of the investigating agency to take the accused in custody and admit him in a mental hospital in Agra for treatment.

However, late on Monday night a Division Bench of the court stayed the order by their colleague.

Protest
Agitated members of the Bar Association had collected at the office of the CBI till late night on Monday to protest against the order and to prevent the CBI from taking any action against Tahar Singh. On Tuesday, an emergency meeting of the general house of the Bar Association decided to boycott the court of Justice Singh.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Onkar Singh Batalvi, secretary High Court Bar Association, said, “We have also demanded from the Chief Justice Vijender Singh not to allocate any work to Justice Singh. Our demands also include his immediate transfer and to begin impeachment proceedings against him.”

The members of the Bar Association sat in front of the court of Justice Singh on Tuesday and did not allow anyone inside.

Lawyers alleged that Justice Singh has passed the order against the lawyer because he had initiated a signature campaign seeking a discussion on the conduct of judges.

Only last week Tahar Singh had reportedly spearheaded a campaign to discuss the behaviour of certain judges against young lawyers. Previously, he has spearheaded campaigns seeking to debar relatives of the serving judges in the Punjab and Haryana High Court from practising in the same court.

The requisition prepared by Tahar Singh which was signed by about 500 lawyers had said, “Majority of Hon'ble Judges of this High Court are honest, well behaved and polite with few exceptions and these few spoil the relations between the Bar and the Bench. Some of the Hon'ble Judges do not behave well in the Court and even go to the extent of saying “shut up”. Not only this, they keep on threatening the lawyers with contempt during the court proceedings often.”