Advocates protest in Kerala High Court, demand apology from judge for making 'insulting' remarks to late lawyer's wife

Thiruvananthapuram: Lawyers staged a protest at the Kerala High Court on Friday demanding apology from a judge for allegedly insulting a woman lawyer.

Justice A Badarudeen allegedly made insulting remarks towards advocate Saritha Thomas in connection with taking over the cases that were being handled by her husband advocate Alex Scaria, who died recently.

The lawyers decided to boycott the court proceedings until the judge tendered an apology in the open court.

After Scaria died on January 7 his wife Saritha Thomas was handling his cases. On Thursday, when the court called one of the cases, Saritha sought more time citing the death of her husband. The judge allegedly responded rudely to it even after the lawyer turned emotional.

On Friday, a group of lawyers sought an apology from the judge in the open court. But he refused to do it. The judge was learnt to have conveyed willingness to tender an apology in chamber, which the lawyers turned down.

Subsequently, the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association made the boycott call.