Justice under Attack: Allahabad High Court Serves Contempt Notices to Advocates for Assaulting Litigants

The Allahabad High Court recently took decisive action by issuing criminal contempt notices to ten advocates accused of assaulting litigants within the premises of the Prayagraj district court. Moreover, the Court has prohibited their entry into the district court premises. Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Mohd Azhar Husain Idrisi, presiding over the case, emphasized the severity of the incident.

They expressed concern over the obstruction of court proceedings, leading to litigants being subjected to violence within the courtroom, forcing the presiding officer to seek refuge for safety. The Court firmly denounced such aggressive behavior, stating it could undermine the judicial system and emphasized its obligation to intervene in such matters.

Here’s the full story:

The Allahabad High Court issued criminal contempt notices to ten advocates involved in assaulting litigants at the Prayagraj district court.
The named lawyers are Syeed Aftab Ahmad, Mahtab Ahmad, Sanjeev Singh, Ritesh Srivastava, Ravi Sonkar, Adarsh Shukla, Vikas Singh, Rishabh Singh, Satyavan Singh, and Adarsh @ Anshu.
The Court emphasized a stern stance against such incidents, asserting that they will not be tolerated.
It directed the Commissioner of Police, Prayagraj, to ensure ample police presence, as directed by the District Judge, to ensure the court’s smooth functioning.
The Commissioner of Police is tasked with assigning an Assistant Commissioner of Police to ascertain the criminal history of the individuals facing contempt notices and report on the status of any investigations.
Previously, the High Court restrained two lawyers, Ran Vijay Singh and Mohd Asif, from practicing law in Uttar Pradesh courts after mistreating a civil court judge and leading a mob that attacked litigants.
The incident occurred when a group of lawyers pressured a judge to take up another suit during proceedings, despite attempts by the local bar association president to resolve the matter.
The accompanying mob allegedly assaulted two litigants attempting to seek refuge in the judge’s chamber.