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Lawyers' strike: Court fails to hear Joshi's bail plea

July 17, 2009 14:06 IST

A local court in Moradabad could not take up on Friday morning the hearing of the bail application of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who is currently in judicial custody for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati.

Additional District Judge Sudha Sharma had on put off on Thursday the hearing on Joshi's bail application till Friday, as the case diary could not be submitted by the police.

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The hearing, which was scheduled for 10.30 am, could not be held, as work in the local court was suspended following a call to strike work by the Bar Council, Allahabad.

Speaking to PTI, defence counsel Anand Mohan Gupta said, "We are in constant touch with the District Bar Association, and seeking their permission, so that we can argue the case."

60-year-old Joshi had approached the court after Chief Judicial Magistrate KK Shrivastava had turned down her bail plea and remanded her to judicial custody for 14 days.

Joshi, who was arrested on Wednesday night, has been booked under section 153 A (delivering inflammatory speeches) and section 109 (using abusive language) of the Indian Penal Code besides provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for making remarks allegedly defamatory to Mayawati in connection with her government's compensation to rape victims.