NCR lawyers to go on strike on Jan 14 against CrPC amendments

NEW DELHI: Lawyers of the different bar associations of National Capital Region (NCR) are going to observe a day-long strike on January 14, demanding withdrawal of the proposed amendments in the CrPC allowing the police not to arrest an accused in offences punishable upto 7-year jail.

A meeting of the Co-Ordination Committee All Bar Associations of Delhi as well as other districts of the NCR and adjoining area was organised at Tis Hazari courts here where a decision to go on strike was taken.

The advocates of 24 bar associations including that of Ghaziabad, Noida, Moradabad, Bulandshahr and Alwar would abstain from court on Janaury 14, Rajiv Khosla, spokesperson of the Co-Ordination Committee told reporters.

"The proposed amendment removing mandatory arrest provisions in the offences punishable upto seven years would remove the fear from minds of criminals who will misuse the provisions under the garb of personal liberty," the bar leaders said.

They said that after notification of the amendments, there could be no arrest even in cheating cases like Satyam scam of more than Rs 7,000 crore.

Harbouring of an offender of cases like Mumbai Terror Attacks and Batla House encounter and selling of counterfeit stamp like in Telgi scam would incur no arrest, they said, adding that the police would the liberty to arrest or not arrest offenders under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Five district courts bar association had earlier on January 7 also observed a strike in order to oppose the proposed amendments in the Criminal Procedure Code.

The bar leaders said that they are going to meet the President soon to demand withdrawal of the amendments in the statute.