Allahabad High Court imposes ₹10,000 fine on advocate for arguing case after order was passed

The Allahabad High Court recently imposed a fine of ₹10,000 on an advocate for continuing to argue his client's case even after the Court had rejected his bail plea. [Mohan v. State of Uttar Pradesh].Justice Krishan Pahal observed that the counsel for the applicant not only continued to argue the case after the order had been passed, but also caused a disturbance and disrupted the proceedings.The Court deemed the lawyer's behaviour as criminal contempt of court, as it undermined the authority and decorum of the judicial process.However, it stopped short of initiating contempt proceedings against the lawyer. It said,“Justice underscores the dual responsibilities of Advocates in a Court of Law. While they must diligently represent and look after the interests of their clients, they also have an onerous duty to maintain a respectful and conducive environment in the courtroom. Advocates should assist the Court rather than cause disruptions, ensuring that the proceedings are orderly and respectful, which ultimately upholds the dignity of the judicial process.”.The Court was hearing the bail application of an accused who allegedly raped a woman after blackmailing her with a video he had taken of her taking bath. As per the prosecution case, he continued to blackmail the victim by recording further encounters of their physical relationship.The applicant’s counsel, on the other hand, claimed that the victim falsely implicated his client and had demanded money from him. He further argued that there is no forensic report corroborating the prosecution story and that the applicant had no criminal antecedents..After noting that the video in question has been recovered from the applicant’s phone and has been sent for forensic analysis, the Court rejected the bail application.It also directed the trial court to decide the pending case expeditiously..The Court went on to berate the lawyer for arguing the case after the order was passed, ordering,"The said attitude of the counsel for the applicant is deprecated and a cost of Rs.10,000/- is imposed to be deposited in the account of High Court Legal Services Authority, within a period of 15 days from today.".Advocate Arun Kumar Tripathi appeared for the bail applicant, while Government Advocate R P Patel represented the State..[Read Order]