Today (March 28), The Madras High Court has condemned the involvement of advocates who aid clients in forcefully seizing immovable properties
Chennai: Today (28th March): The Madras High Court raised concern regarding the practice of advocates assisting their clients in forcibly acquiring immovable properties. It emphasized that such behavior demeaning the integrity of the legal profession and must be immediately addressed.
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh has summoned three advocates, a Police Inspector, and a property purchaser to appear in court following a complaint alleging the forcible takeover of a residential property by breaking open its lock.
“The behavior exhibited by these advocates tarnishes the reputation of the legal profession, and decisive steps must be taken to address it. This court has observed similar incidents before, despite efforts to address them. Therefore, a more stringent approach is warranted to tackle this persistent issue,” remarked the judge.
Expressing concern over the conduct of advocates engaging in such activities, Justice Venkatesh emphasized that advocates are meant to fulfill their duties solely within the confines of the court and not engage in coercive possession of properties.
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Background
The court’s intervention originates from a writ petition filed by a woman from Tondiarpet, Chennai, seeking relief against police interference in a civil dispute. The petitioner’s counsel outlined a case where, despite a court injunction, the property purchaser, accompanied by police and advocates, unlawfully took possession of the property.
Notwithstanding the court injunction, the buyer, accompanied by the police inspector and three advocates, unlawfully entered the house while the petitioner was absent in Cuddalore on March 21. They forcibly broke the lock to seize the property, as stated by Mr. Vijendran.
Justice Venkatesh emphasized the necessity of exercising the court’s authority to prevent such incidents in the future, indicating a potential invocation of contempt proceedings against the involved parties under Section 10 of the Contempt of Courts Act.
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“In circumstances like these, it is imperative for this court to utilize its authority to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future,” remarked the judge. The directive was issued for the appearance of three lawyers—G. Punniyakodi, D. Raja, and P. Rajendran—along with Police Inspector Krishna Raj in court on Thursday.
