Advocates, CISF clash at Madras High Court

Clashes erupted on Friday at the Madras High Court premises between advocates and members of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), one of whom allegedly used his mobile phone to video record a woman advocate. Some advocates resorted to a dharna in front of the High Court’s entrance. CISF IG Vinay Tosh Misra, who was present to make enquiries, asked the crowd to disperse and clarified that taking a video was part of normal security procedure.

The CISF, which has taken charge of security at the High Court since November 16, after a high court order on October 14 had ordered that the ‘inner circle’ of its campuses in Chennai and Madurai be brought under CISF protection as a temporary measure, has deployed a contingent of 450 personnel there. The need for the CISF’s presence was a decision the courts arrived at when it took up a suo motu PIL after scenes of chaos broke out when lawyers began agitating for Tamil to be declared as the official language of the court and after contempt of court proceedings were taken out against two Madurai-based Bar leaders last month.

Now three entrances have been created for advocates. According to Dinesh, an advocate and eye witness, a man in plain clothes allegedly captured videos of a woman advocate who walked into the court premises at around 1.30 p.m.

A group of advocates, who gathered in her support, enquired if the man was from the CISF. When bystanders sought an explanation and asked to see some identity proof, the man had refused, evading giving a reply. CISF personnel whisked him away soon after. Dinesh said that they had demanded that he be brought in front of them for questioning as they suspected his motives for photographing the lady. Tension prevailed at the high court even as more advocates gathered at the entrance. The CISF then pulled out, suspending security services for a while.

The advocates have decided to file a complaint about the incident, Dinesh said.