The Calcutta High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a serious incident involving alleged mob intimidation of senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and several other lawyers.

The Court, expressing grave concern for the safety, dignity, and independence of the legal profession, constituted a special three-judge bench to examine the matter.

The incident reportedly took place on April 25, 2025, just outside the Calcutta High Court premises. According to accounts presented by advocates, Bhattacharya and his colleagues were allegedly surrounded and heckled near their chambers by a group suspected to be linked to litigants. A collective of concerned lawyers brought the matter to the attention of Chief Justice T. S. Sivagnanam the same day.

Reacting promptly, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee ordered that formal writ petitions be registered in connection with the episode. The Court also directed that notices be issued to key legal stakeholders, including the Advocate General, Additional Solicitor General, and the secretaries of the Bar Association, Bar Library Club, and the Incorporated Law Society of the High Court.

During the proceedings, counsel representing the affected lawyers urged the Court to treat the matter with the utmost urgency. They submitted that acts of mob intimidation targeting members of the Bar erode public confidence in the justice system and strike at the core of judicial independence.

It was further submitted that formal police complaints had already been filed and that the Court should seek a report from the concerned law enforcement authorities to ensure accountability and prevent recurrence.

Upon receiving information about the incident on the evening of April 25, Chief Justice Sivagnanam directed the Registrar General to immediately notify the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

The matter remains under active consideration by the special bench, which is expected to monitor developments closely and ensure institutional safeguards for members of the legal fraternity.