UP Govt To Frame Statewide Guidelines Restraining Cops From Contacting Advocates In Sub-Judice Matters, Allahabad HC Told
The Uttar Pradesh Government on Tuesday informed the Allahabad High Court that it would be framing pan-state guidelines restraining the police personnel from visiting places under litigation without leave of the Court and from directly contacting advocates representing parties in sub-judice matters.
The submission came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea alleging encroachments on a Gaon Sabha land in a Jaunpur Village, where the 90-year-old petitioner had accused local police officers of threatening him to withdraw the petition.
Later, his advocate had also alleged that his house was raided by the cops. On July 11, the HC had taken a serious note of allegations while underscoring that the trend of investigating lawyers for pursuing their professional duties was not acceptable.
Read more about the case here: 'Undermines Judicial System, Harshest Penalty Required': Allahabad HC Deprecates Trend Of Prosecuting Agencies Targeting Lawyers
On the next date of hearing (July 15), a bench of Justice JJ Munir took on record the personal affidavit of the Superintendent of Police, Jaunpur, stating that two police officers had been suspended pending inquiry. Show-cause notices were also issued to other personnel involved, the bench was told.
Significantly, the bench was further apprised that the SP had also issued a district-wide order dated July 12, 2025, directing all police stations in Jaunpur not to:
During the hearing, Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal, assisted by Advocate Ravi Anand Agrawal, informed the Court that the State Government would require ten days to formulate similar guidelines on a pan-state basis, applicable across all districts.
Accepting the request, the Court granted ten days to both the State Government and the SP, Jaunpur, to file further affidavits. The matter has now been listed for hearing on July 28, 2025.
The July 11 remark of the HC had come in the backdrop of the Top Court's recent prima facie view that summoning of legal professionals by prosecuting agencies/police in relation to client information or advice given is untenable and a threat to the autonomy of the legal profession.
The Supreme Court has also initiated a suo motu case on the issue of investigative agencies summoning advocates over their legal opinion given to clients.
Case title - Gauri Shankar Saroj vs. State of U.P. and others