Overview
The Supreme Court sharply condemned a spate of hooliganism by members of the Barabanki District Bar Association after a toll‑plaza dispute in January 2026. The bench, comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta, granted bail to the detained toll‑plaza employees and directed the Bar Council of India to take disciplinary action.
Key Developments
- Lawyers vandalised the office of Manoj Shukla, who filed a bail petition for the employees, after a Barabanki Bar Association resolution refused to represent the accused.
- The Court observed that the legal profession, once deemed noble, has been “tainted” by such violence and warned that intimidation undermines the justice delivery system.
- It highlighted that the employees were denied legal representation, compelling them to invoke Article 32 for relief.
- The Court granted bail, calling the two‑month custodial period “absolutely unjustified” and violative of Article 21.
- All further proceedings under the FIR filed under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 were transferred to the Tis Hazari Courts, New Delhi, with police protection ordered for the petitioners.
Important Facts
- Incident date: 14 January 2026 at Gotona Bara Toll Plaza, Barabanki, UP.
- Charges were filed under multiple provisions of the 2023 safety act; the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh even sought invoking the National Security Act, despite the incident being a minor scuffle.
- The Supreme Court’s order (Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (SC) 257) directs a copy to be sent to the Bar Council of India for action.
- The bench emphasized that denial of legal aid violates the constitutional guarantee of access to justice.