A Patna High Court lawyer who had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking court intervention in appointment of law officers has been threatened with dire consequences if he did not withdraw his petition.

Dinesh Kumar had filed a PIL in court pleading to put in place a permanent institutional mechanism for the appointment of law officers with the high court's consultation.

Hearing his petition, the high court had in November 2016 passed an order saying that consulting the high court was necessary for appointment of law officers. But on December 6, the state government appointed five law officers without consulting the high court. Thereafter, Kumar filed a contempt petition in the high court, the hearing of which is scheduled for April 10.

The Telegraph had in its March 26 edition published a report "HC glare on law officers' appointment", highlighting alleged omissions and commissions on the part of the state government in appointment of law officers.

"On the mornings of March 26 and 27, an unknown person came to my house at Gardanibagh, claiming to be a CID personnel," Kumar told The Telegraph on Thursday. "He asked me to withdraw the case, saying it would be better for me, as those against whom the case has been lodged are powerful and well-connected." He quoted the man as telling him that the appointment of law officers had come under a strain because of his petition. "They (the newly appointed law officers) have ties with different political parties, the unknown person said to me," Kumar said. "He told me that while one of those appointed as law officers is considered close to the Congress party, two have affiliations with the RJD and the remaining two are close to the JDU." He reportedly told Kumar: "You are a good and educated person, so it would be in your interest to withdraw the case."

It didn't stop there. "On March 29, while I was walking back from Sai temple near Kachi Talab, Gardanibagh, to my residence, four young men, in their early twenties, came on two motorcycles and accosted me. While the rest of the three kept sitting on the two bikes, one of them asked me to withdraw the case or be prepared to face dire consequences," Kumar said, narrating the incident. The four men then left the place.

"I have petitioned both Patna senior superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj and DIG (central range) Shalin, forwarding a complaint letter to their official cellphones over WhatsApp," the lawyer said. "But, till now I have not received any response from either of the officers."

In the petition, Kumar had cast aspersions on principal additional advocate general Lalit Kishore, accusing him of using intimidating and devious means to force him to withdraw the case. Kumar, in his petition to the SSP and the DIG central range, had written that in the event of any harm caused to him, the principal additional advocate general should be held liable for the same. All efforts to contact Kishore proved futile. He did not respond to phone calls from this newspaper.

Patna SSP Manu Maharaaj said: "The complaint has been forwarded to the police station concerned. The Gardanibagh police station house officer has been asked to look into the complaint and take necessary action."

The SSP had earlier confirmed he had received the complaint on his cellphone over WhatsApp.