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Allahabad High Court Orders Probe Into Four Lucknow Advocates For Court Assault
The , has taken a stern stand against the increasing reports of violence within court corridors. In a recent , a division bench comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla ordered a discreet inquiry by the into the conduct and antecedents of four advocates accused of assaulting a litigant, Mohd. Shakir, inside the campus on .
A Pattern of Unrest
The incident occurred when the litigant attempted to pursue legal proceedings, only to be allegedly accosted, beaten, and forcibly detained by a group of lawyers. Reports submitted to the court indicate that the primary accused, —who currently serves as the Junior Vice President of the —faces a history of eight criminal cases. The court observed that the violence was not an isolated event but part of a disturbing trend where certain individuals use their status as advocates to engage in property grabbing and intimidate parties, thereby obstructing the .
The Court’s Mandate for Accountability
Acknowledging that the majority of the Bar remains dedicated to justice, the Bench emphasized the need to identify the "black sheep" who threaten the sanctity of the legal process. To facilitate a comprehensive assessment, the Court has directed the following actions: - Disclosures: The four accused advocates—, , , and —must disclose their income tax returns for the past ten years, alongside details of their assets, ancestral and private properties, and family businesses. - Entry Prohibition: Until the next date of hearing, these individuals are strictly prohibited from entering any court premises in the Lucknow district, provided this does not impede their right to attend these specific court proceedings or legal requirements in other criminal cases. - Inquiry: A discreet probe into the financial and professional activities of these advocates will be conducted by the local joint director of the .
Key Observations from the Bench
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the High Court remarked:
"We find that in the case at hand, lawyers ran amok freely, abused, humiliated & manhandled a litigant at will, threatened him with dire consequences... Any dithering in this regard will not be tolerated."
The court further expressed,
"The time for harsh words appears to be over as these have not had the desired effect. It is now time for action for the police and all other stakeholders."
Impact and Next Steps
The Court has summoned representatives from the and the , underscoring the collective responsibility required to maintain order within the . By ordering the preservation of case records and appointing an oversight mechanism to probe the nexus between lawyers and illegal property dealings, the judiciary aims to restore public faith in the legal system. The case is scheduled for further hearing on , when the Bench will address the status of the investigation and the potential transfer of pending criminal cases against the accused to other districts to ensure fair play.
