The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association has chosen to declare a day without work on Tuesday to demonstrate their opposition to the reported abuse suffered by a lawyer while in the custody of the Punjab Police's Crime Investigation Agency (CIA).

In an official statement, the Executive Committee of the Bar Association expressed strong condemnation for the brutal, inhumane, and savage actions carried out by the police officials from the District Police Sri Muktsar Sahib against the lawyer.

Just last week, the lawyer had lodged a complaint with the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in Sri Muktsar Sahib, alleging that he had been physically assaulted by the CIA Staff officials and had also been subjected to sexual abuse.

Subsequently, the CJM instructed the Station House Officer of the Police Station in Sri Muktsar Sahib to launch an investigation into the police officials involved and to register a case against them.

In accordance with the CJM's directive, the police took action on Monday night by filing a First Information Report (FIR). This FIR was registered against six police officials under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 377 (unnatural offences), 323 (hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 149 (unlawful assembly).

The Senior Superintendent of Police in Sri Muktsar Sahib took the additional step of suspending two police officials in connection with this incident.

Earlier today, the Bar Association made another announcement, stating their intention to file a petition with the High Court. In this petition, they seek the transfer of the investigation to a jurisdiction outside of Punjab and the suspension of the remaining police officials involved in the case.

The Association stated in its announcement that the future course of action will be communicated later, and until then, work will continue to remain suspended.

Furthermore, the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana has called upon the Bar Associations in Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh to join in an indefinite work abstention starting from Tuesday, as a show of solidarity with the lawyer who is a member of the Bar Association of Sri Muktsar Sahib.

The Bar Council has put forth several demands, including the transfer of the investigation to an independent agency located in Haryana or Chandigarh. They have also called for the immediate cancellation of the FIR filed against the lawyer.

Additionally, the Bar Council has urged the registration of an FIR against the implicated police officials and the immediate suspension of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Sri Muktsar Sahib.

The High Court Bar Association had earlier written to the Punjab Chief minister with a similar demand for the suspension of the SSP.