Punjab & Haryana Bar Council Exonerates Lawyers Accused In High Court 'Bench Hunting' Allegations

The Privilege Committee of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana has exonerated all the lawyers and other individuals to whom it had earlier issued notices in connection with bench hunting allegations at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The State Bar Council had launched an inquiry into serious allegations of bench hunting by lawyers at the Punjab and Haryana High Court

In an office order, the Chairman of the State Bar Council, had stated that members of the Bar Council had pointed out that some advocates of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, in order to obtain favourable orders from a particular bench or to avoid appearing before that bench, are engaging in "bench hunting."

The Council has summoned 16 advocates —Senior Advocate Rakesh Nehra, Senior Advocate Puneet Bali, Advocates J.K. Singla, Sidharth Bhardwaj, Aditya Aggarwal Advocate, Gagandeep Singh, Anmol Chandan, Advocate Baljeet Beniwal, Harsh Sharma, Sauhard Singh, Rupender Singh, Ankit Yadav, Ashim Singla, Aakash Sharma, Bindu, APS Shergil — for an inquiry into accusations that they may have involved in the bench hunting in the Roop Bansal case.

All the above advocate were either the filing counsel or have appeared for the M3M director Roop Bansal.

However in order passed on October 28, "the Committee examined the circumstances surrounding FIR No. 0006 dated 17.04.2025, registered under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC against M3M's directors. A petition to quash the FIR...was filed before the High Court. On 13.02.2025, the petition was withdrawn with liberty to file a fresh one due to technical defects and lack of material particulars. The Committee found this withdrawal to be routine and bona fide, with no suspicious conduct. As the court's order dated 13.02.2025 has attained finality, the Committee concluded that all involved lawyers and litigants in this petition are innocent."

It further stated that, The controversy intensified during the second petition... On 14.01.2025, one bench recused itself, "though the order contained no adverse remarks against any advocate. Th matter was reassigned but later transferred again due to Advocate J.K. Singla being on the restricted list of that bench."

"Advocate Singla clarified he had no knowledge of such a list and had routinely appeared before various benches. His explanation was deemed credible, as lawyers are not privy to confidential lists maintained by the High Court's administrative branch, which typically include names of individuals with personalties to judges," read the order.

Adding that, "The Committee finds no reason to suspect any mala fide intent on the part of the lawyers and litigants involved in these proceedings," the enquire was closed and all the lawyers were exonerated.