Haryana Police take U-turn on Narwana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 5

Just two days after the registration of an FIR against senior advocate SK Garg Narwana and others, the Haryana Police today conceded that “nothing vital had, prima facie, been found” against him, even as lawyers met the Haryana Chief Minister and abstained from work.

Assured of a free-and-fair investigation into the matter, the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana requested all advocates of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to resume work on Tuesday. The council made it clear that the next course of action would be decided at its general house meeting, scheduled for March 11.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association also decided to withdraw its protest following an assurance from Panchkula Commissioner of Police AS Chawla.

The assurance came after a Bar Association delegation, led by president Anmol Rattan Sidhu, met Chawla. Sidhu also spoke to the Haryana Director General of Police on the issue. Agitated over the police action, the lawyers left nothing to chance. From abstaining from work to Khattar, the lawyers came out to express their solidarity with senior advocate Garg. Soon after Khattar’s assurance, the Panchkula police, for the present, gave a clean chit to Garg.

A communication was shot off by the Panchkula Commissioner of Police to the Deputy Commissioner of Police stating that the examination of the case file, on the face of it, revealed nothing vital against Narwana at present.

“If subsequently, some clinching evidence comes against him, the investigation officer be directed to inform the president of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, Chandigarh, before proceeding further,” the communication read. The developments took place soon after the lawyers strongly condemned the act of the Haryana Police, especially the Panchkula police, in registering an FIR against the senior Bar member. 

The Bar Council delegation, led by chairman Vijender Singh Ahlawat, after meeting Khattar, also submitted a written representation for the cancellation of the FIR against Narwana. The delegation told the Chief Minister that the Panchkula police registered the FIR in a “very hasty manner”, causing resentment among lawyers in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. 

Referring to the FIR, the delegation said Narwana had not committed any offence. He had, rather, discharged his professional duties and provided legal support to his client. “The registration of the FIR against the advocate without going through the allegations not only affects the legal profession, it also impedes the justice delivery system and faith of the public at large,” the delegation said, requesting the Chief Minister to ensure the cancellation of the “false and frivolous” FIR against him and two other advocates Diwan Bal Krishan and KD Nain. IGP (CID) Anil Rao was also present during the meeting.