Jahanvi Agarwal
The Allahabad High Court recently took a strong stance by issuing criminal contempt of court notices to 10 Advocates accused of assaulting litigants at the Prayagraj District Court. The Court also prohibited these Advocates from entering the court premises.
Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Mohd Azhar Husain Idrisi emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “This Court cannot allow the Court proceedings to be obstructed in a manner that litigants are brutally thrashed in the courtroom and the Presiding Officer has to flee to her chambers for her safety. This type of aggressive and violent conduct in the court will cause a virtual collapse of the system. This Court cannot be a silent spectator to events of this kind.”
The Advocates who received the notices are:
- Syeed Aftab Ahmad
- Mahtab Ahmad
- Sanjeev Singh
- Ritesh Srivastava
- Ravi Sonkar
- Adarsh Shukla
- Vikas Singh
- Rishabh Singh
- Satyavan Singh
- Adarsh @ Anshu
The division Bench underscored the necessity of sending a clear message that such misconduct would not be tolerated, warning that such incidents would be dealt with severely.
Additionally, the Court instructed the Commissioner of Police in Prayagraj to ensure adequate police presence as directed by the District Judge, Prayagraj, to maintain order in the court. The Commissioner will assign a senior officer, at least of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, to provide the criminal records of all the people who have received notices in this contempt of court case. This officer will also report on the progress or actions taken in the investigations related to these individuals.
In a related incident on April 30, the High Court stopped two lawyers, Ran Vijay Singh and Mohd Asif, from practicing law in any court in Uttar Pradesh. This decision came after they were found guilty of disrespecting a civil court judge and leading a group that attacked people involved in a legal case.
The Civil Judge (Senior Division), Prayagraj, reported that during ongoing proceedings, a group of lawyers, led by Singh and Asif, pressured the judge to take up another suit and subsequently assaulted litigants who sought refuge in the judge’s chamber. Despite attempts by the President of the local bar association to mediate, the lawyers refused to cooperate.
The Court’s decisive actions reflect its commitment to maintaining decorum and safety within the judicial system, ensuring that such unruly behaviour is addressed promptly and effectively.
Case Name: In Re. Ranvijay Singh And Others
Dairy Number: 7/2024
Bench: Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Mohd Azhar Husain Idrisi