Lawyers association protecting Kathau rape accused, SC warns

New Delhi, April 13: The Supreme Court on Friday took notice of an incident of lawyers of Jammu and Kathua bar associations preventing a woman lawyer from appearing for the family of a rape victim.

The court also issued notice to the Bar Council of India, Jammu & Kashmir State Bar Council, Jammu High Court Bar Association and Kathua District Bar Association, seeking response as it was brought to its notice that lawyers did not allow the filing of the chargesheet.

Saying that a lawyer who appears for a victim or accused can't be prevented by any bar association or group of lawyers, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud noted: "For it is the duty of a lawyer to appear in support of his client, once he accepts the brief."

SC took notice after top court lawyer P.V. Dinesh and others told the bench that the members of the Kathua District Court Bar Association were obstructing the lawyer appearing on behalf of the family of the Kathua rape victim in the court. And High Court Bar Association at Jammu was supporting them.