post news network
Puri, Dec 6: Local court proceedings were disrupted Friday after bar association members went on a protest against the assault of a lawyer by a tehsil employee.
The lawyers alleged the tehsil office has turned into a hotbed of corruption as employees are not processing files without taking bribes.
A revenue inspector (RI) of the office had allegedly demanded a bribe of `5,000 from advocate Biranchi Das to forward a file to the tehsildar, sources said. As Das protested, a minor scuffle broke out and Das was pushed out by an office employee at the RI’s behest. Das fell and fractured his hand in the incident.
The bar members also alleged that the RI, who has been posted here for a long time in violation of transfer rules, hardly worked without taking a bribe.
The bar association besieged the tehsil office December 2 demanding arrest of the accused and later lodged two separate complaints with Town police and the district collector.
The association Saturday accused the police of inaction and sought the immediate arrest of the accused.
Town police inspector-in-charge said the police can arrest the accused only after a direction from the district collector and SP in this regard.