CHANDIGARH — The Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association has strongly denounced the registration of a criminal case against Advocate Amninder Singh Mann, an active member of the District Bar Association in Mansa. The first information report was lodged under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following social media commentary concerning Jasbir Singh Garhi, the former Chairman of the Punjab State Commission for Scheduled Castes.
Issuing a formal statement through Honorary Secretary Parampreet Singh Bajwa, the legal body highlighted that the disputed Facebook post reportedly contained terms such as theatrical and uneducated, but was entirely devoid of any caste-based slurs or references. Expressing serious concern over the invocation of stringent statutory provisions, the association observed that the remarks on the surface had no connection to caste identity, warning against the weaponization of criminal legislation to intimidate legal practitioners.
The Bar Association voiced deep dismay over the failure of district authorities to resolve the controversy, noting that earlier assurances from the Mansa Senior Superintendent of Police regarding the withdrawal of the case remain unfulfilled. Reaffirming its support for Mann and the local Mansa bar, the organization called for an objective and lawful inquiry free from political interference, reiterating its resolve to protect the professional independence and legal rights of advocates across the region.
