The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday appointed Advocate Nehal Vernekar as amicus curiae to assist the Court in the on going suo motu proceedings arising from the brutal assault on Advocate Ankur Kumar. The appointment comes after the High Court took suo motu cogni sance of the allegedly murderous attack on the lawyer at Tembvada, Morjim, on July 17, underscoring the seriousness of the incident and en suring independent legal assistance during the proceedings. A Division Bench comprising Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Hiten S Venegavkar directed that the matter be listed again on August 24, giving the State government time to obtain and place its instructions before the Court. The Court registered the mat ter as a suo motu PIL titled High Court On Its Own Motion (Re: Assault on Advocate) after taking cognisance of media reports on the attack.
By initiating proceedings on its own, the Court indicat ed that assaults on members of the legal fraternity are not merely individual criminal offences but raise wider con cerns relating to the rule of law, the independence of the legal profession and the effective administration of justice. The proceedings are expected to examine the circum stances surrounding the assault, the manner in which the investigation was handled, and the measures taken by the State to ensure the safety and security of advocates in the discharge of their professional duties. Earlier, the High Court ordered a departmental inquiry into the police handling of the investigation into the assault on Adv Ankur Kumar, which occurred during the demolition drive against illegal structures at Morjim. While directing that the criminal investigation continue, the Court trans ferred the probe to a newly appointed investigating officer, Colvale Police Inspector Sanjit Kandolkar.
