Punjab amp Haryana HC Bar Council Vice Chairman arrested for attempt to murder

The Vice Chairman of the State Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana, Om Prakash Sharma, has been arrested in a case of attempt to murder registered against him by Faridabad police in 2006. Sharma was arrested from his Sector-9 Faridabad residence for his alleged involvement in a firing incident that took place in the Faridabad court premises..The Vice Chairman of the State Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana, Om Prakash Sharma, has been arrested in a case of attempt to murder registered against him by Faridabad police in 2006. Sharma was arrested from his Sector-9 Faridabad residence for his alleged involvement in a firing incident that took place in the Faridabad court premises..TOI reports, Sharma was declared a proclaimed offender by the court in 2008 in the same case..Sharma was also facing a contempt of court case but was recently acquitted by the Supreme Court after receiving an unconditional apology from him. The apex court in the contempt case observed that “the tendency to malign the reputation of judicial officers by disgruntled elements, including lawyers who fail to secure the desired order, is increasing and it is high time it is nipped in the bud”. The Bench comprising of Justices P. Sathasivam and B.S. Chauhan further said, “And, when a member of the profession resorts to such cheap gimmicks with a view to browbeating the judge into submission, it is all the more painful”, according to Hindu..Sharma and a group of lawyers were convicted in relation to an incident that took place in September 1999 in a Magistrate court in Faridabad, Haryana. Sharma and other lawyers had used derogatory and unparliamentary words while abusing the Magistrate for remanding an accused to custody without granting bail..On a report from the Magistrate, the Punjab & Haryana High Court had suo motu taken action against the advocates and imposed the punishment of contempt of court. The appeal to the Supreme Court was directed against this judgment. Senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani appeared on the behalf of Sharma and requested the court to allow the appeal after accepting an apology tendered by him..Sharma’s arrest comes almost a week after the lawyers of District Court in Chandigarh had allegedly assaulted a Naib Court in the court premises. The police had registered cases against 18 lawyers of the District Court under various sections. However, the police has not yet arrested any of the lawyers named in the FIR..All such acts by lawyers puts the elite legal profession to a shame. What is even more embarrassing for the legal fraternity is the fact that even after being a proclaimed offender, Sharma was holding the prestigious and respected post of Vice Chairman of the State Bar Council.