Misbehaviour with govt lawyers amounts to contempt: HC directs UP DGP to issue circular

On Monday, taking exception to the conduct of Rajesh Kumar Singh, public relations officer (PRO) to the Azamgarh senior superintendent of police (SSP), with an additional government advocate (AGA), Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal directed that Singh be kept in court custody until 5 pm. He was released thereafter.

The Allahabad high court has directed the Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) to issue a circular warning police officers that misbehaving with government advocates communicating court orders for compliance amounts to contempt of court and will invite action under the law.

Allahabad high court (Sourced)

On Monday, taking exception to the conduct of Rajesh Kumar Singh, public relations officer (PRO) to the Azamgarh senior superintendent of police (SSP), with an additional government advocate (AGA), Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal directed that Singh be kept in court custody until 5 pm. He was released thereafter.

The bench observed that AGAs are officers of the court who discharge duties in furtherance of judicial directions. “Whenever they inform any officer about the compliance of the order of this Court, they are discharging their duty in compliance of the order of the Court and misbehaving with them by any officer may be the top-most officer of the State will amount to contempt,” the court observed.

The SSP informed the bench that he had issued a show-cause notice to Singh and removed him from the post of PRO. The court appreciated the prompt action.

The order came during the hearing of a bail application filed by Sachin Yadav, who was booked under Section 64(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 66E and 67A of the Information Technology Act. The court rejected his bail plea on merits.

Regarding compliance with a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against an investigating officer, the SSP’s affidavit stated that a communication received from the AGA on September 8, 2026, was forwarded to Maharajganj police station and entered in the general diary. However, sub-inspector Subhash Singh kept it without ensuring compliance. A preliminary inquiry found the station house officer (SHO) negligent, following which show-cause notices were issued to both officers.

Accepting the SSP’s apology for not personally ensuring execution of the warrant, the court clarified that a police officer receiving an NBW issued by the high court must personally ensure the arrest of the person concerned and produce them before the court, as a district court cannot grant bail in such a case.

Taking note of the SSP’s unblemished record and appreciating his gesture of adopting the two minor daughters of a deceased suspect, the court closed the matter against him while expecting greater care in the future. The registrar (compliance) was directed to send a copy of the order to the UP DGP.

The case relates to a 2024 FIR registered at a police station in Azamgarh district over the alleged uploading of an obscene video of a rape victim.