After unconditional apology Allahabad High Court imposes 2k cost on advocate guilty of abusing lady judge during hearing

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After an unconditional and unqualified apology being tendered by the advocate who had insulted a lady judge in open court, the Allahabad High Court disposed of the contempt case against him. However, Court imposed a cost of Rs. 2,000 upon the lawyer.

The bench of Justice Suneet Kumar and Justice Vikram D. Chauhan passed the order upon an undertaking forwarded by the contemnor advocate that he will be careful and will maintain discipline, decorum and dignity of the court in the future.

Though, granting relief to the advocate, the bench noted, "conduct of the contemnor is unbecoming of a practicing advocate. He has been the former President of the Bar and put in 32 years of practice. It is not expected of a senior member of the Bar to indulge in derogatory and abusive language to the court, which seriously undermines the discipline and would encourage the other advocates to follow suit."

Therefore, taking a serious view of the issue, Court also directed that the contemnor advocate shall be kept under observation with regard to his conduct and behavior for a period of two years.

Further, court directed the contemnor advocate to deposit the cost imposed at the District Legal Services Authority, Mau, and noted that "in the event, contemnor does not deposit the fine within a month from date, contemnor shall be precluded from entering the premises of the judgeship and appearing in any case for a period of six months."

In July 2019, by the high court, Advocate Krishna Kumar Yadav was held guilty of committing criminal contempt of court punishable under Section 12 of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

Yadav had used some abusive words against a lady judge (Km. Aradhana Rani, Additional Principal Judge, Family Court No.1, Mau in March 2019 while she was listening to the complaint made by one of the parties before the Court.

Asking Yadav to submit his defence, the high court had noted that by his conduct, Yadav had insulted the court and had tried to lower the authority of the court and had also obstructed and interfered with the due course of the judicial proceeding.

Initially, the contemnor advocate filed an objection to the charge denying the allegations and factum of the incident. However, later on, he informed the court that he had tendered an unconditional apology to the concerned lady judge.

He further pleaded mercy with folded hands and assures the Court of good and appropriate conduct. Upon this, taking a lenient view, Court disposed of the matter.

Case Title: In-Re v. Sri Krishna Kumar Yadav, Adv