NEW DELHI, June 14 -- The Calcutta High Court has issued a scathing order against 2 judicial officers for failing to provide legal representation to an accused in a narcotics case.

Justice Krishna Rao directed disciplinary action against the Chief Judicial Magistrate and the District & Sessions Judge of Alipurduar for their serious lapse in not offering legal aid to the accused Sudhar Mangar during critical court proceedings.

The court emphasized this failure as a grave violation of constitutional protections afforded to every arrested person. While granting bail to Mangar, who was arrested on March 28, 2024, in an alleged cough syrup seizure case, the court identified multiple procedural violations.

The arrest memo notably lacked any ...