The Bombay High Court's Fiery Reprimand: Police Slammed for "Blatantly Illegal" Summons to a Lawyer

Imagine this: a lawyer, diligently representing a client, suddenly finds himself on the receiving end of a police summons – not as a counsel, but as a 'witness' in the very case his client initiated. Sounds absurd, doesn't it? Well, that's precisely what happened recently in Mumbai, and the Bombay High Court was, shall we say, absolutely floored by the audacity of it all.

The Matunga police, it seems, managed to draw the ire of the High Court, specifically Justices Sarang Kotwal and Rajesh Patil, for what they unreservedly chastised as "blatantly illegal" conduct. Their transgression? Issuing a summons to a lawyer who was acting on behalf of a frail 93-year-old petitioner. The police, quite astonishingly, demanded the lawyer appear as a witness in a complaint that his own elderly client had filed. It’s a situation that just doesn’t sit right, and the court felt it keenly.

This wasn't just a simple procedural misstep; the High Court saw it for what it truly was: a blatant attempt to misuse the legal system. To summon the legal counsel, who holds a privileged position and client confidentiality, to testify against their own client's interests in the very case they are handling, is an extraordinary overreach. The court left no doubt about its indignation, stating firmly that this move was a "clear abuse of the process of law."

It quickly became evident that the police’s intention wasn't to genuinely gather evidence from a witness. No, this was a rather transparent attempt, a tactic really, to pressure the lawyer into compelling his elderly client to withdraw the complaint. Such an action fundamentally undermines the sanctity of the lawyer-client relationship and the very spirit of justice. The thought of a police force trying to coerce an individual, let alone a senior citizen, through their legal representative, is deeply troubling.

Thankfully, justice, as it often does, prevailed. The Bombay High Court, with its characteristic clarity and resolve, wasted no time in quashing the illegal summons. More than just cancelling the order, the court delivered a stern directive to the Matunga police: they must adhere strictly to the established legal procedures and refrain from such outrageous actions in the future. This serves as a vital reminder that while the police have powers, those powers are not boundless and must always be exercised within the bounds of the law, with respect for individual rights and due process.