NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: Former Attorney General G E Vahanvati, 65, died on Tuesday, following a cardiac arrest in a Mumbai hospital. He was the first Muslim to become the top law officer of the country and remained in the post from 2009-2014. Goolam Essaji Vahanvati is survived by his wife and son, Maharashtra Advocate General Darius Khambata.
Sources said, “He was not keeping well for and was being treated for severe lung infection.”
Vahanvati was appointed the 13th Attorney General in June 2009 for a three-year term, after the UPA Government was re-elected. In 2012, the term was extended by another two years.
He had also served as the Solicitor General from June 20, 2004-June 7, 2009. He was earlier Advocate General of Maharashtra, when he successfully represented the state in the famous multi-crore stamp paper scam.
Born on May 7, 1949, Vahanvati obtained a law degree from Government Law College in Mumbai, after graduating from St Xavier’s College.
Vahanvati was one of the sharpest legal minds of the country and his tenure was marked by several controversies, including him being summoned as a witness in the 2G case. He also faced allegations of undeclared assets and controversies in office. In April 2013, his junior Harin P Raval had raised allegations of impropriety against him. He also faced a CBI investigation regarding his role in the 2G scam, but was later given a clean chit.
His achievements include his role in the amendment of The Representation of People’s Act, the tainted ministers’ case and probing allegations of racism in Zimbabwe. He was an authority on Constitutional law.