Kolkata, 13 August (H.S.): A heated exchange broke out between West Bengal Advocate General (AG) Surjit Nath Mitra and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee during a hearing before the Calcutta High Court on Thursday in a case concerning the removal of loudspeakers from religious places.

The verbal altercation reportedly escalated into personal remarks, prompting the court to intervene and caution both sides.

The matter was being heard by a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Aturup Banerjee. A heated exchange between Kalyan Banerjee and the Advocate General reportedly began during the initial stages of the hearing.

The situation intensified when the bench discussed the date for the next hearing. The Advocate General requested that the matter not be listed on the following Monday and suggested another date. The court subsequently indicated the following Thursday for the next hearing.

Kalyan Banerjee reportedly informed the court that he had a personal difficulty on that day. He then took a dig at the Advocate General, suggesting that he was influential and powerful and that the court would therefore act according to his wishes.

The remark reportedly angered the Advocate General, who responded with an alleged derogatory remark directed at Banerjee. Banerjee, in turn, hit back with a sharp personal remark, calling the AG a “boot-licker.”

As the argument grew increasingly heated, the Acting Chief Justice intervened and attempted to calm the situation.

During the exchange, Additional Advocate General Bilwadal Bhattacharya also reportedly made a remark concerning Kalyan Banerjee’s position as a Member of Parliament, further raising tensions in the courtroom.

The court eventually intervened, cautioned both sides and brought the verbal confrontation to an end.

The heated exchange during the hearing of the case concerning loudspeakers at religious places created a brief stir inside the Calcutta High Court.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey