Allahabad HC Issues Restraining Order Against Two Lawyers For Assaulting Judge And Litigants
The Allahabad High Court issued a restraining order against two lawyers practicing in Uttar Pradesh courts, following their involvement in mistreating a civil court judge and leading a group that assaulted litigants during court proceedings.
The Court's action stemmed from a reference by the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division), Prayagraj, detailing how during ongoing proceedings in a suit, a group of lawyers barged into the courtroom and pressured the judge to prioritize another suit in which one of the said two lawyers was a plaintiff.
The civil court judge reported that this pressure led to the physical assault of litigants in the courtroom, coupled with ill-treatment towards the presiding officer.
A Division Bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Mohd Azhar Husain Idrisi directed Lawyers Ran Vijay Singh and Mohd. Asif to present reasons why they should not face punishment for committing criminal contempt of court.
The Bench said, “It has left a serious question mark on the manner in which the court proceedings are being conducted. The reference made by the Presiding Officer shows a complete breakdown of the court proceedings at the instance of lawyers. Instances of this kind pose a serious challenge to the very functioning of the judicial system and the incident has to be viewed seriously.”
Additionally, invoking its jurisdiction under Chapter XXIV Rule 11(2) of the Allahabad High Court Rules, 1952, the Court prohibited Ran Vijay Singh and Mohd. Asif from entering the premises of the District Judgeship at Allahabad and restrained them from practicing law in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Advocate Sudheer Mehrotra appeared as the counsel for the Court.
It was noted that the efforts by the President of the Bar Association to resolve the matter were futile, as Singh and Asif refused to cooperate.
Furthermore, the crowd accompanying the lawyers allegedly stormed the dais and physically attacked two litigants. Even as the victims sought refuge in the judge's chamber, they were pursued and assaulted there as well.
The High Court expressed grave concern over the incident, highlighting its implications on the integrity of court proceedings. The breakdown described in the reference underscored a significant challenge to the functioning of the judicial system, warranting serious attention.
In response, the Court instructed the District Judge of Prayagraj to submit a report, including an examination of CCTV footage to identify other individuals involved. The Court said, “The Commissioner will also ensure that adequate police force is deployed on the instructions of the District Judge, Prayagraj, so that the incident of kind does not recur.”
The Court mandated the deployment of adequate police personnel, as per the District Judge's instructions, to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
Cause Title: In Re v. Ranvijay Singh & Ors.
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