The Allahabad High Court has sentenced local lawyer Ashok Pande to six months in jail in a 2021 contempt of court case. The action stems from an incident where Pande appeared in court without a lawyer’s robe and with his shirt unbuttoned.
A division bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and BR Singh, delivering the judgment on Thursday, said that an "exemplary punishment is warranted" due to the gravity of the offence, Pande’s past conduct, and his refusal to engage in the legal process.
The lawyer was also fined Rs 2,000. He would be jailed for an additional one-month in case of non-payment of the fine.
Pande has been given four weeks to surrender before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Lucknow.
The court has also issued a show-cause notice asking why Pande should not be barred from practicing law at the Allahabad High Court and its Lucknow bench. He has been asked to respond by May 1.
The contempt proceedings were initiated suo motu after Pande's appearance in improper attire in August 2021, during which he allegedly called the judges "goondas" when asked to leave. Despite several opportunities, Pande never responded to the charges. The court also cited his previous record, including a two-year ban from court premises in 2017, as a factor in its decision.
