Following the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) detaining Bar Council of India (BCI) member Rajinder Singh Rana and another lawyer for allegedly taking a bribe to accredit a law college, Delhi lawyers have gone on strike against and allegedly intimidated the CBI while the BCI has suspended college inspections for three months.

The Indian Express reported that Delhi lawyers decided to stay away from courts yesterday, while the CBI lodged a first information report (FIR) against lawyers who allegedly gathered at Rana’s house to oppose the CBI’s action, which also claimed its staff were manhandled by the lawyers.

The Express reported:

The lawyers have decided to move the Delhi High Court for a case of contempt against the CBI for flouting court directives on searches.

“The CBI failed to bring along women police officers while conducting raids at Rana’s house. It was in complete contravention of the directives by the Supreme Court. Women of the house have also complained of abusive behaviour on the part of the CBI team,” said Sanjeev Nasiar, Secretary of the New Delhi Bar Association.

Rajiv Khosla, president of the Co-ordination Committee, said the FIR against them was an act to “cover-up their misdeeds” but lawyers would hit back with adequate legal measures.

The agency had registered a case against Rana and BCI vice-chairman Dhanpal Raj, alleging that they had demanded money from Tyagi in exchange for a favourable report regarding inspection of the college for granting recognition. “While a major part of the bribe had already been paid by Tyagi to Rana, the remaining amount of Rs one lakh was to be paid yesterday. We have been monitoring Rana’s calls,” the CBI claimed.

The CBI said it laid a trap on Monday and caught Rana while he was allegedly accepting the money from Tyagi. “Rana’s house was then searched and raids were conducted at several places in Delhi, Ghaziabad and Chennai,” said an official.