Allahabad HC Closes Contempt Proceedings Against Advocate Who Attempted to Pressurize Court
The contemnor had caused a derangement upsetting the proceeding in the Court and had also exhorted the members of the Bar (who were waiting for their turn) to boycott the hearing.
The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday closed the Contempt Proceedings initiated against an Advocate for interrupting Court's proceedings. Court dropped the proceedings in view of the contemnor's unconditional apology and his undertaking that such an incident would not be repeated in the future.
On October 21, Advocate Sunil Kumar (the contemnor) had interrupted the proceedings before the bench of Justice Jyotsana Sharma for about 20-25 minutes after the judge had asked him to make changes to the cause title in a revision memo and hide the name of the juvenile/child which was in conflict with the law.
The judge had then initiated contempt proceedings against Kumar noting that the advocate only attempted to overawe and pressurize the Court but also exhorted the members of the Bar (who were waiting for their turn) to boycott the hearing.
The judge had noted in the order, "The moment I finished this dictation, he turned towards me to remark 'I know no such law. I am not bound to obey your order. You will have to hear me.' I tried to counsel him at first saying that you need to correct the title and that I am fixing a short date for hearing, to which, he gave a disdainful reply at the top of his voice....pressurize the Court to hear him today itself taking no notice of the order passed by me".
The contempt application was then placed before the division bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Shiv Shanker Prasad.
The division bench heard the matter and allowed the contemnor to appear before the court. When the contemnor extended his apology before the division bench, it gave him permission to appear before the lady judge and tender his unconditional apology, which the contemnor had submitted before the division bench orally as well as in writing.
Thereafter, the contemnor submitted his unconditional apology to the lady judge which she accepted. In view of this development, court closed the contempt proceedings against the contemnor.