A video clip allegedly showing an Andhra Pradesh High Court judge threatening a young lawyer with police custody triggered strong reactions across legal circles and social media. However, the Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocate's Association has now told the Chief Justice that the matter was resolved peacefully through its intervention, while cautioning that the viral clips online did not show the complete picture of what had actually happened inside the courtroom.
The controversy began after a video from proceedings before Justice Tarlada Rajasekhar Rao on May 4 rapidly circulated online, triggering criticism within legal circles and calls for intervention by senior legal bodies. Following the controversy, the Advocates’ Association informed the Chief Justice that the matter was immediately taken up by its executive committee and resolved through timely intervention. The Association stated that the junior advocate involved had chosen not to pursue any complaint further in view of preserving the relationship between the Bar and the Bench. Referring to the online circulation of snippets from the hearing, the Association stressed that the footage spreading online did not reveal the “full picture” and omitted the fact that the issue had already been settled before the clips went viral.
In its communication, the Association acknowledged that the incident had caused concern within the legal fraternity but cautioned against reactions driven entirely by online narratives. The Association stated, “Social media rarely captures the complete truth, and acting on it without verification can do more harm than good.” The body further warned that conclusions drawn from incomplete information could disturb the longstanding harmony between judges and lawyers in the State. While condemning the incident itself, the Association requested that any future action be taken only after examining the “full and correct picture” rather than relying exclusively on material circulating online.
Consequently, the Association urged the Chief Justice not to escalate the matter further and noted that “both sides have moved on” and the situation on the ground remained peaceful.
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