Smt. Pooja Vs State of U.P (Allahabad High Court)
Allahabad High Court, on July 8, 2025, rejected the bail application of Smt. Pooja in the case of Smt. Pooja Vs State of U.P., citing repeated non-appearance of her counsel and the advanced stage of the trial. The court also took a strong stance against the growing trend of advocates frequently absenting themselves from proceedings, terming it “professional misconduct” and a potential instance of “bench hunting or forum shopping.”
The single-judge bench, presided over by an unnamed judge, noted that despite the case being listed multiple times, including on January 31, 2024, February 15, 2024, March 1, 2024, March 6, 2025, and April 10, 2025, no one appeared on behalf of the applicant to press the bail application. The court specifically highlighted that even in the revised list on the final hearing date, the applicant’s counsel was absent.
Learned counsel for the informant, Sri Sunil Kumar Upadhyay, informed the court that the statement of the accused under Section 313 Cr.P.C. had already been recorded, indicating that the trial was nearing its conclusion. This further weighed against the continuation of the bail application.
The court expressed its dismay at the frequent non-appearance of advocates in a significant number of listed cases on multiple dates. It underscored that such actions amount to professional misconduct and can be interpreted as an attempt to engage in “bench hunting or forum shopping,” practices that undermine the integrity of the judicial process.
