“A Feat That Would Make Even Houdini Raise An Eyebrow”: Punjab & Haryana HC Pulls Up Lawyer Who Filed Petition On Behalf Of Deceased Client
The Punjab and Haryana High Court issued an explicit warning to a lawyer who had filed a petition on behalf of a “departed” client.
The Bench seriously warned the lawyer to avoid getting involved in “otherworldly activities” in the future or else he would become “entangled in a complex situation beyond the ordinary.” Considering that the lawyer was relatively inexperienced in the legal profession, the Court stated it would “not want to see him squander his promising career on such..... shall we say, otherworldly endeavours.”
A Single Bench of Justice Manjari Nehru Kaul observed, “Undoubtedly, all this injected some much-needed entertainment into the otherwise dull Courtroom proceedings, this Court would like to warn the learned counsel for the petitioner to exercise a tad more caution in his future legal escapades. After all, we would not want to inadvertently summon anymore ghostly clients or find ourselves entangled in a legal mess of supernatural proportions.”
Advocate Vikramjit Singh represented the petitioner, while Sr. DAG Amit Rana appeared for the respondent.
A lawyer filed a petition on behalf of a “departed” client almost a month after his “celestial departure” submitting that he had been misled by “some person” who had approached him for filing the instant petition. The Bench called this act “a feat that would make even Houdini raise an eyebrow.”
The Court noted a remarkable turn of events, describing it as stirring up a "legal potpourri," when the learned State counsel placed on record the death certificate of the deceased client. Seemingly, the lawyer for the deceased filed a petition, complete with a posthumous Power of Attorney, bearing a signature from "beyond the grave," thus inviting mockery from the Court.
“It's as if the petitioner was orchestrating the ultimate legal prank from beyond the grave. And if that weren't enough to raise a Courtroom chuckle, behold! An affidavit bearing the signature of none other than the departed petitioner,” the Court added.
Consequently, given the unconditional and unqualified apology tendered by the counsel for the petitioner, the Court permitted the withdrawal of the petition.
“Trust, the Courtroom can still be a wild enough place without summoning spirits from beyond the grave,” the Court remarked.
Accordingly, the High Court dismissed the petition as withdrawn.
Cause Title: Manjit Singh v. State of Punjab (Neutral Citation: 2024:PHHC:060537)
Appearance:
Petitioner: Advocate Vikramjit Singh
Respondent: Sr. DAG Amit Rana