Kochi | The Kerala High Court has initiated criminal contempt proceedings against 29 lawyers for allegedly insulting a Chief Judicial Magistrate in Kottayam and obstructing her court.

A division bench of Justices Anil K Narendran and G Girish initiated the contempt proceedings against the lawyers, including certain office-bearers of the Kottayam Bar Association.

The division bench said that the alleged act of the lawyers insulting the magistrate brought disrepute to the justice system.

The lawyers facing the contempt proceedings were protesting against the Chief Judicial Magistrate for ordering the police to lodge a case against an advocate who allegedly produced a forged document to obtain bail for an accused in a fraud case.

The Bar Council has also appointed a committee to investigate the incident.

The High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on Thursday.