CHENNAI: A major breach of security at the Madras High Court has come to light following the arrest of a ‘lawyer’, who entered the premises and threatened the staff on Monday evening. Interrogation showed that he was a fake advocate and a search of his vehicle yielded a knife.Around 7 pm, a motorcyclist arrived at the court’s Esplanade Gate and on seeing a ‘lawyer’ sticker pasted on the vehicle and a bundle of case files in the man’s hand, the police personnel waved him inside, a senior officer told Express. He made his way to the filing section and told the staff that he was submitting a writ plea and demanded the immediate allotment of the case number.When the female staff members questioned his haste, he began to create a big commotion and threatened them with dire consequences, the officer claimed. As he continued to create a ruckus, the court staff called the Esplanade police. When the cops tried to take him away, he shouted at them, saying he was a lawyer and how could they lay their hands on him.Grilled at the police station, the man began to spill the beans. He identified himself as G Murugan (31), a native of Arundhadiyar Colony in MGR Nagar, Tiruvannamalai. He claimed that he was working as a junior to an advocate in Vadapalani. On verification, the police found that a few years ago, Murugan had met advocate Anandan in Vadapalani and expressed his wish to work as a junior under him. The advocate sent him along with other lawyers to the Virugambakkam police station in connection with a case, so that he could get some first-hand experience. He created a scene there and misbehaved with the police.Questioned, the advocate denied any links with Murugan now. The police found that Murugan had never studied law. “He was a student of New College in Royapettah and while his friends passed out and became lawyers, he failed to make it,” the officer said. “He appears to have become mentally depressed after that.”On conducting a search of the two-wheeler, police found a knife hidden in a pouch atop the fuel tank. Arresting him on charges of trespass, obstructing a public servant from discharging his duty and possession of weapon, they also seized his knife, two-wheeler and driving licence. Following the incident, a police team met the registrar-general of the high court and discussed new security measures for the premises on Wednesday. The breach in security, seen in the light of the recent blast in the Delhi High Court, highlights the urgent need to devise a comprehensive security mechanism, sources said. There is a proposal before the government for setting up of a High Court Security District as suggested by a judges’ panel, including Justices C Nagappan, R Bhanumathi, Elipe Dharma Rao and D Murugesan, in 2008. “A three-phase security plan — introduction of ground metal detectors (GMDs), installation of closed-circuit television cameras and setting up of reception counters manned by registry staff to provide passes to visitors — was suggested for implementation,” the sources said.Under the first phase, GMDs were installed at the five gates, but they were removed after advocates started boycotting courts on the Sri Lankan issue. They were also not in favour of installation of CCTVs, the sources claimed. Today, the plan is in limbo.
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