Court finds petitioner guilty of abusing judicial process with baseless allegations against university faculty
In a significant judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed an application by Aman Rani, a practising lawyer, who had repeatedly filed applications with baseless allegations against senior faculty members of a university. The Division Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor, found the conduct of the petitioner to be an abuse of the judicial process, imposing a penalty of Rs. 25,000 to be contributed to the PGI Poor Patients Welfare Fund.
The petitioner, Aman Rani, initially approached the court seeking modification of an earlier order dated May 19, 2026, which had permitted her to pursue a Ph.D. course at a university. The university had already accepted her synopsis and expressed no objection to her continuing her academic pursuits. However, Rani filed additional applications, persistently levelling allegations against faculty members despite having withdrawn these claims previously.
The court recounted the history of the case, highlighting that Rani had earlier been allowed to withdraw a similar application after tendering an unconditional apology for the scandalous assertions contained therein. Despite being cautioned and allowed to amend her approach, she filed another application with similar unfounded allegations.
In its judgment, the court emphasized the need to protect the integrity of the judicial process. It noted that Rani's repeated filings with unsubstantiated allegations constituted a misuse of court resources and an unwarranted attack on individuals' reputations. The court reiterated its expectation that litigants must refrain from such conduct, especially when they have previously agreed to withdraw such allegations.
The court's decision underscores the judiciary's commitment to ensuring that the courts are not used for frivolous or vexatious litigation. By imposing a financial penalty, the court aims to deter similar conduct in the future and send a strong message about the seriousness with which it views the abuse of judicial processes.
Bottom Line :
Abuse of process of the Court - Repeated filing of applications with uncalled for allegations against senior faculty members despite prior withdrawal and apology by the petitioner amounts to abuse of judicial process - Application dismissed with costs.
Statutory provision(s): Civil Procedure Code, 1908
Aman Rani v. Union of India, (Punjab And Haryana)(DB) : Law Finder Doc id # 2962592
