Gurpreet Singh :- The Amritsar Bar Association on Thursday observed a “No Work” strike in protest against the inclusion of Advocate Bikramjit Singh Bath’s name in an FIR registered at the Majitha police station. Members of the legal fraternity termed the move an attack on the independence of the legal profession and voiced strong opposition to the action taken by the police.
Bar Association president Gurpreet Singh Panesar said that representing clients and safeguarding their legal rights was a lawyer’s fundamental duty and could not be treated as a criminal act. He alleged that the advocate had been unnecessarily implicated in the case, describing it as an attempt to intimidate members of the legal community.
According to the association, Advocate Bath had visited the Majitha police station to seek information regarding a youth who had reportedly been taken into custody following municipal council elections. The legal fraternity contends that despite performing his professional responsibilities, his name was subsequently included in the FIR, triggering widespread resentment among lawyers.
Advocate Amanbir Singh Siali, Legal Advisor to the Shiromani Akali Dal, said Bath had visited the police station solely in his capacity as a legal representative and had no unlawful role in the matter. He further claimed that video evidence was available to substantiate the advocate’s version of events.
Lawyers alleged that Advocate Bath’s inclusion in FIR No. 98 was deliberate and unjustified. They maintained that implicating advocates in criminal cases while they discharge their professional duties undermines constitutional principles and weakens public confidence in the justice system.
The Amritsar Bar Association has urged the Chief Minister to order the immediate withdrawal of the case against Advocate Bath. The association warned that if its demand is ignored, the agitation would be intensified and expanded across Punjab, with lawyers planning statewide protests and demonstrations.
Members of the legal fraternity asserted that the issue extends beyond an individual advocate and concerns the dignity, independence and professional freedom of the legal community as a whole.
