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After Allahabad High Court's directives, the Uttar Pradesh government has issued a circular restraining police from directly contacting parties and lawyers in pending matters. A PIL was filed by 90-year-old Gauri Shankar Saroj of Jaunpur alleging that local police personnel threatened him to withdraw his petition against alleged encroachment of Gaon Sabha land. The police had also allegedly raided his house in retaliation. In its circular dated July 25, the state government issued comprehensive statewide guidelines to prevent police interference in sub-judice (pending) matters. These guidelines strictly prohibit police personnel from contacting petitioners or their advocates concerned with pending matters without lawful authority and prior sanction from a competent officer or court. Earlier, the high court had taken a very serious note of the allegations made by the petitioner. Subsequently, on July 15, the Uttar Pradesh government had sought 10 days time to formulate statewide ..