Advocate fined Rs 50,000 by Punjab and Haryana HC for insulting Hindu Deities

Court directs Bar Council to monitor advocate’s conduct

Chandigarh – The Punjab and Haryana High Court have fined an advocate Rs 50,000 for circulating offensive messages about Hindu Deities on a WhatsApp group. The advocate, named Preetpal Singh, was found guilty and penalised by the Court. The High Court has also instructed the Bar Council to monitor Singh’s professional conduct and behaviour.

The case was based on a complaint filed by Ashok Sareen, who reported that Preetpal Singh had hurt Hindu religious sentiments. Consequently, a case was registered against Singh in Hoshiarpur, Punjab. Later, the parties involved reached a mutual agreement, and a petition to quash the case was submitted to the Court. Justice Kuldeep Tiwari, while quashing the case based on the mutual agreement, stated that if a similar offence is committed by the accused in future, appropriate disciplinary action should be taken.