ALDONA: Advocate and Aldona MLA Adv. Carlos Alvares Ferreira has strongly condemned the brutal assault on Advocate Ankur Kumar at Morjim, terming the incident a grave attack on the rule of law and the legal fraternity.
Adv. Ferreira said that Advocate Kumar had gone to ensure the enforcement of a High Court order, subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court, directing the demolition of an illegal structure. The violent attack on him while discharging his professional duty is deeply shocking and raises serious concerns about the safety of advocates and their ability to practise the legal profession without fear, intimidation or coercion.
“This is not merely an assault on an individual advocate, but an attack on the very foundation of the justice delivery system. If officers of the court are prevented from carrying out their lawful duties through violence and intimidation, it undermines the rule of law,” Adv. Ferreira said.
He further stated that such brazen acts of taking the law into one’s own hands cannot occur without emboldenment and must be dealt with firmly. He called for the incident to be condemned unequivocally by all sections of society and the authorities.
Demanding accountability, Adv. Ferreira urged the Government to constitute a high-level investigation team to probe the incident thoroughly and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
“There must be no room for a shoddy investigation or procedural lapses that could eventually weaken the case. The investigation must be fair, transparent and comprehensive so that justice is delivered and public confidence in the rule of law is upheld,” he said.
Adv. Ferreira also appealed to the State Government and law enforcement agencies to ensure adequate protection for advocates and all those involved in the implementation of court orders, reaffirming that the judiciary’s decisions must be respected and enforced without fear or obstruction.
