High Court pulls up cops for not producing lawyer in court

The court had asked cops to produce Devesh Bhatt, who sent legal notices to judicial officers, in court on April 25; cops get 4 more days for the task

Gujarat High Court on Monday pulled up the state police for not executing the nonbailable warrant against advocate Devesh Bhatt, who had sent legal notices to judicial officers who did not rule in his favour of his clients. The court had earlier asked the cops to produce him before the court on Monday.
The court has now asked the state police to produce him on April 29. The court observed that if the police is unable to arrest an advocate how can they arrest a criminal. Earlier the court had directed the registry to obtain a non-bailable warrant from a magisterial court against Bhatt for committing contempt of court on various occasions and produce him before the division bench for prosecution.
A division bench of Justice D H Waghela and Justice K A Puj has initiated contempt proceedings in 11 cases against Bhatt for issuance of legal notices to chief justices, sessions judges and magistrates. Bhatt had also filed a damage suit against certain judicial officers, demanding up to Rs 1 crore. His issuance of notices, coupled with complaints to the President of India to initiate prosecution against the judges, was perceived as a pressurising tactic by the judicial officers.
Last month, the court had issued a bailable warrant against Bhatt and asked him to remain present in court on April 19. But Bhatt did not appear before the court after getting the warrant cancelled by providing a bail bond.

WHO IS DEVESH BHATT?

DEVESH BHATT, a lawyer, had issued 65 legal notices demanding to initiate contempt proceedings against judicial officers ranging from judicial magistrates to High Court judges and even chief justices. Bhatt has remained absent before the court for six-seven dates in connection with the proceedings against him.