2 advocates cleared of bench hunting charge

The Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana cleared senior advocates Rakesh Nehra and Puneet Bali of "bench hunting" allegations, citing no evidence against them.

The privilege committee of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana (BCPH) has cleared names of two senior advocates, Rakesh Nehra and Puneet Bali, in connection with its ongoing probe into allegations of “bench hunting” at the high court.

2 advocates cleared of bench hunting charge

The committee, formed on August 4 by BCPH chairman Rakesh Gupta, had on August 7 summoned 16 lawyers, including Nehra and Bali, over allegations of manipulating bench assignment in a high-profile corruption case involving a Gurugram-based realtor and a former judge in Haryana.

In its proceedings on August 21, the committee gave clean chit to Bali and Nehra, along with their associates. “…No material has surfaced against them. On the contrary, both have extended full cooperation throughout, reflecting their commitment to transparency, integrity, and the highest standards of professional ethics,” the committee recorded in its order, adding that the reputation and integrity of both the advocates and their associates remain “untarnished”.

The committee was formed after members of the Bar council pointed out that some advocates of the high court were resorting to bench hunting to secure “favourable orders” from a particular bench or avoiding to appear before another.

Bench hunting often refers to petitioners managing to get their cases heard by a particular judge or bench to ensure a favourable order.