Allahabad High Court Grants Bail to Lawyer Accused of Stalking Judicial Officer
The lady judicial officer alleged that the practicing advocate repeatedly violated her privacy, made inappropriate remarks, and persistently stared at her
In a significant decision, the Allahabad High Court recently granted bail to Mohd. Haroon, a lawyer accused of stalking and harassing a judicial officer. The bench of Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra passed the order in Haroon's criminal revision petition against prior judgments convicting him.
An FIR was lodged on August 19, 2022, by the complainant, a judicial officer then posted at Hamirpur district court. She alleged that Haroon, a practicing advocate in the same court, repeatedly violated her privacy, made inappropriate remarks, and persistently stared at her. Haroon was charged under sections 354, 354A(IV), 354-D, and 509 of the Indian Penal Code. The trial court sentenced him to a cumulative four years of imprisonment and imposed fines under multiple Sections.
Challenging the trial court's verdict, Haroon argued that the allegations were exaggerated and lacked substantiated evidence of explicit misconduct, such as sending inappropriate messages. His counsel emphasized that he had already served over half of his sentence, having been incarcerated since July 2023, and highlighted his willingness to comply with bail conditions. He cited precedents from the Supreme Court to bolster Haroon's plea.
The prosecution, however, opposed the bail application, asserting that Haroon’s actions were a breach of professional and ethical standards, particularly as they involved the harassment of a judicial officer. Despite this, they did not contest the fact that Haroon had already completed a significant portion of his sentence.
In its order, the High Court noted the gravity of the allegations but acknowledged the substantial sentence already served and the unlikely prospect of the revision being resolved promptly due to a backlog of cases. Court granted bail on several conditions, including a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties. Haroon was instructed to avoid tampering with evidence or the complainant and to cooperate with judicial proceedings without seeking unnecessary adjournments. Additionally, he was ordered to deposit half of the imposed fines within one month of release.
The court warned that any violation of these conditions would result in the cancellation of his bail. The matter has been listed for final hearing in due course.
Case Title: Mohd Haroon vs State of U.P.