Allahabad High Court orders security for 3 lawyers after they face violence in Lucknow court

The Allahabad Court on Tuesday ordered Lucknow Police to provide security to at least three advocates, including two women lawyers, who alleged harassment and violence by certain advocates of the Lucknow district court.

A Division Bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla took up the matter at 7 pm in the evening after the counsel, who mainly practice in Delhi, moved an application alleging that advocate Saurabh Kumar Verma along with his associates prevented them from appearing before a civil judge in a case.

Advocates Abhipsa Mohanty, Komal Agarwal and Ashutosh Srivastava submitted that their client Mohd Shakir was assaulted and threatened by saying “vakil ke against case karega tu”. The controversy is connected to a civil suit seeking declaration of title and injunction in respect of a property which is currently stated to be in possession of advocate Verma. 

The Court said it was not the first time such an incident had happened in Lucknow court. It added that the matter not only involves commission of an offence by the alleged persons but also of interference in the dispensation of justice. 

It, thus, directed the district judge of Lucknow to file a report in this regard by this morning and also asked the police to apprise it about antecedents of advocate Verma and other counsel involved in the incident. 

“The applicants-Advocates whose names and details are mentioned in the application shall be provided adequate security by the Police Commissionerate, Lucknow as they are staying in Lucknow with respect to the aforesaid suit and these proceedings i.e. till they are in Lucknow. Their entry and appearance before this Court tomorrow at 10:15 A.M. shall be facilitated by adequate security measures and the Senior Registrar of this Court at Lucknow shall facilitate their entry and appearance before this Court tomorrow,” the Court directed.

[Read Order]