Allahabad High Court police misbehaviour with government advocates who relay court orders will be treated as contempt, and the Uttar Pradesh DGP has been directed to circulate that warning to all police officers.
Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court has directed the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, to issue a circular to all police officers warning that misbehaviour with government advocates who convey court orders for compliance will be treated as contempt and dealt with in accordance with law. The direction followed an allegation that the PRO to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Azamgarh, misbehaved with an Additional Government Advocate [Bail Applicant v. State of U.P.].
The order was passed by a single Judge Bench of Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal while hearing a bail application, which the Court rejected on merits.
The allegation against the PRO
According to the order, Rajesh Kumar Singh, the PRO to the SSP, Azamgarh, allegedly misbehaved with the Additional Government Advocate while the latter was trying to inform him of a court order. The available account does not describe the alleged misbehaviour. The Court had Singh taken into custody and kept in court custody until 5 PM, after which he was released. The allegation is untested, and it is not clear whether formal contempt proceedings have been initiated against him.
The SSP issued Singh a show-cause notice and removed him as PRO. A preliminary inquiry followed, after which show-cause notices also went to the SHO of Maharajganj Police Station and a Sub-Inspector, over how a communication from the Additional Government Advocate had been handled.
A non-bailable warrant and an assumption that an appearance would do
On September 8, 2026, the SSP forwarded the Additional Government Advocate’s communication about a non-bailable warrant to the Writ Cell. It was later received at Maharajganj Police Station and entered in the general diary. The SSP apologised for not personally ensuring that the warrant was executed, having believed that the officer’s appearance before the Court would suffice.
The Court said this was not the correct legal position. An officer who receives a High Court non-bailable warrant should personally ensure the arrest and produce the person before the High Court, though a district court may grant bail in such a case. Noting the SSP’s unblemished record, the Court closed the matter against him, expecting greater care in future.
Officers of the Court, acting on its directions
Additional Government Advocates are officers of the Court who act under its directions, the Court observed, and misbehaviour with them while they communicate court orders will amount to contempt. Its Registrar (Compliance) has been asked to send a copy of the order to the UP DGP.
The bail applicant is an accused in a pending case, whose allegations are untested and on which this report expresses no view. The applicant is presumed innocent.
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Case Details: Bail Applicant (name withheld, as the underlying case involves sensitive allegations) v. State of U.P., Allahabad High Court. Bench: Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal. Case number, date of order and next hearing date not available at the time of writing.
Appearances: Not available at the time of writing.