Complaint before Kerala High Court alleges NIA judge biased against accused, tore up affidavit

A lawyer has filed a complaint with the Registrar (District Judiciary) of the Kerala High Court against the Special Judge of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) - I Court in Ernakulam. .The complainant-lawyer has sought an inquiry into allegations that the judge tore up the affidavit he had filed on behalf of his client.According to sources, the lawyer will also be approaching the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court with his complaint. .The lawyer's client stands accused under provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and has been in custody since July this year. He filed a bail application, but in October, the prosecutor filed an application seeking police custody of the accused for seven days.The complainant-lawyer filed an objection before the NIA court to this application on behalf of his client, questioning the delay in filing the application after over 100 days. His client instructed him to file a counter-affidavit to the prosecutor's application as well. The lawyer did the same and the affidavit was accepted on the file of the court.On the day the matter was to be considered, the judge called the policeman who accompanied the accused to the court to enter the witness box. The police officer deposed that he heard the lawyer advising his client to submit false statements. Despite the complainant-lawyer's objection, the police officer's statement was recorded by the judge. However, the sworn statement of the accused was not recorded, the complaint alleged.The accused and the lawyer then filed separate complaints before the court..When the matter was taken up again later the same day, the judge directed the accused to re-write the complaint. She then proceeded to tear up the affidavit that the lawyer had filed on behalf of his client, the complaint stated."The act of the Hon'ble judge is totally unfair, illegal and against the judicial practice and courtesy. It is submitted that earlier in several occasions, the judge was behaving prejudicial towards the accused and orders were issued under bias," the complaint alleged.The lawyer has further alleged that the prosecutor visits the judge's chambers regularly and that the prosecution and the NIA are attempting to make a mockery of court proceedings.