Allahabad High Court Revokes Interim Bail of Advocate for Violating Undertaking
In a significant legal development, the Allahabad High Court has rescinded the interim bail granted to a lawyer facing charges of sexual harassment against a fellow female lawyer. Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal ruled on Monday that the accused had breached his prior commitment by appearing in the High Court, despite having agreed not to enter the premises without explicit permission.
The decision by Justice Deshwal was influenced by the advocate’s direct submission of an application to the judge, seeking entry into the High Court premises. The judge emphasized that the proper procedure would have been to file the application through the court registry, rather than addressing it personally to the judge’s chambers. “Prima facie, the aforesaid act of the applicant appears to be an attempt to influence me and may amount to interference with the administration of justice,” observed Justice Deshwal.
Conduct Deemed Contemptuous and Unprofessional
The judge’s initial intention to deliberate further on the matter was overridden by the advocate’s presence in the courtroom, in direct violation of his undertaking. “Today, this Court is surprised to find that the applicant himself is present in Court in violation of his undertaking, despite the fact that his counsel is also present,” Justice Deshwal remarked. The judge expressed concern over the advocate’s conduct, including the personal delivery of the application to the judge, which was deemed contemptuous and unprofessional.
As a consequence of these actions, the Court directed the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh to investigate the lawyer’s conduct and determine his suitability to continue in the legal profession. “The aforesaid act of the applicant is contemptuous and wholly unprofessional. Therefore, the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh is directed to conduct an appropriate enquiry into the conduct of the applicant,” stated the Court.
Background of the Case
Previously, on March 16, the Court had granted interim bail to the accused following his unconditional apology and assurance to refrain from visiting the High Court without prior permission. The Court had also taken into account that the lawyer had been in custody since August 2025 and that a chargesheet had been filed against him. The original First Information Report (FIR) filed by Prayagraj police in 2025 accused the lawyer under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for sexual harassment, stalking, wrongful restraint, and criminal intimidation.
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The complainant accused the lawyer of attempting to stop her while she was en route to the ladies’ restroom, making unsolicited attempts to contact her, and passing derogatory comments. In response, the accused’s counsel had submitted an unconditional apology, promising that he would not attempt any form of contact with the complainant and would not visit the High Court without explicit permission.
Furthermore, in February, the Court had instructed the Jail Superintendent of Naini Jail and the Chief Medical Officer of Prayagraj to conduct a mental health assessment of the accused. The medical examination revealed no psychiatric or neurotic disorders, confirming that the lawyer’s mental state was sound. Based on these findings and assurances, the Court had granted interim bail until the next scheduled hearing.
The Court has now mandated that security measures for the complainant remain in place until the trial concludes. Advocates Basant Kumar Chauhan and Shyam Chandra Pandey represented the accused, while Advocates Satyam Singh and Abhijeet Verma stood for the complainant. Additional Government Advocate Roshan Kumar Singh appeared on behalf of the State.
