'Obstructing Access to Court Is the Most Serious Criminal Contempt’: Allahabad HC
Court was hearing a PIL on illegal tree felling in Fatehpur, which alleged threats and police misuse to force its withdrawal;
The Allahabad High Court recently observed that threatening any individual from approaching the court amounts to the "most serious of criminal contempts," as it summoned a respondent accused of intimidating a petitioner to withdraw a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) relating to the illegal felling of government trees in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district.
The PIL, filed by one Amit Singh Parihar, raised serious allegations of theft and unauthorised cutting of trees planted by the government on Gata No. 122 of Gaon Sabha Pahur, under Tehsil Bindki in Fatehpur. Appearing in person, Parihar told the court that since filing the case, his family had been subjected to pressure and violence allegedly orchestrated by one of the respondents in the case namely Narendra Singh.
According to a supplementary affidavit submitted in court, Singh allegedly assaulted the petitioner’s brother and other family members in May 2022 in an attempt to coerce them into withdrawing the petition. Not only that, Parihar claimed that Singh, described as a man of “criminal propensities”, used his police connections to get an FIR registered against Parihar himself, while the complaint filed by Parihar's family was deliberately delayed.
What disturbed the court even further was the allegation that Singh was continuing to threaten the petitioner’s parents and brother, warning them of dire consequences unless the litigation is dropped.
“No one in the country can threaten or obstruct a person from approaching the Court and seeking his remedies. This is the biggest impediment affecting the course of justice and, therefore, the most serious of criminal contempts,” the bench of Justice J.J. Munir observed in a strongly worded order dated July 31.
Court took on record the petitioner’s supplementary affidavit, which also highlighted that Narendra Singh was an accused in a 2018 murder case registered in Maharashtra under charges including Section 302 (murder) and provisions of the Arms Act.
Directing swift action, court ordered respondent no. 9, Narendra Singh, to appear in person on August 13 at 2:00 PM. The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Fatehpur was also instructed to ensure notice is served within 24 hours, with support from the Superintendent of Police.
Further, in light of allegations that the local police colluded with Singh to frame the petitioner and delay the family’s FIR, the Superintendent of Police, Fatehpur, was directed to file an affidavit clarifying the role played by the Station House Officer of Kalyanpur Police Station.
The case will now be heard next on August 13, when the court will consider further action, including possible contempt proceedings.
Case Title: Amit Singh Parihar vs. State Of U.P. And 8 Others
Order Date: July 31, 2025
Bench: Justice J.J. Munir