BENGALURU: A senior counsel representing Bineesh Kodiyeri, who is in the custody of Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on charges of funding a drug cartel, has apologised before the Karnataka High Court. The apology came in the wake of the advocate-on-record visiting the residence of the Chief Justice and a senior most judge of the High Court last weekend to mention the matter, even before filing the petition.
The advocate had approached them seeking directions to the investigating agency to allow the lawyer to meet the accused. The senior counsel apologised when the conduct of the advocate was pointed out by Justice Suraj Govindaraj during the hearing of the petition filed by Bineesh, son of Kerala CPI(M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
Then the judge said, “It is required for all the advocates to either submit their filing by way of e-mail to the officers concerned as notified in the SOP or to use the e-mail portal which is set up by this court. It is only then the officers of this court, more particularly, the Registrar Judicial will be in a position to consider and take necessary action in relation thereto.” In reply, the senior counsel submitted that the advocate-on-record acted in an overzealous manner to protect the interest of the petitioner and it may kindly be condoned. Accepting the submission, the judge took up the matter for hearing.
During the hearing on Wednesday, the ED’s counsel informed the court that the issue of permitting lawyers to meet the accused arose as many lawyers came forward to meet him after his arrest. Kodiyeri’s counsel submitted that they would withdraw the petition as the ED allowed the lawyer to meet the accused following the order passed by the Special Court for ED cases on Monday to the investigating agency. The judge then permitted him to withdraw the petition.