Advocacy in danger at the hands of fake advocates: Special court
BENGALURU: Observing that a considerable number of people are still practising as advocates even without obtaining eligible law degrees, and this has become an open secret today, a Special Court said that such fake advocates are not only contaminating the system but have also become a challenge for the true advocates.
"In other words, the holy profession of advocacy is in serious danger at the hands of fake advocates. In this regard, every concerned person needs to be introspected for having remained a silent spectator, and not taken any steps to curb the menace of fake advocacy," the court noted.
Judge K M Radhakrishna made this observation on Tuesday while rejecting the anticipatory bail petition filed by Kanaka Lakshmi B M, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Kanaka Lakshmi has been booked by the city police for alleged abetment of suicide and charges of bribe based on the death note left by businesswoman S Jeeva, a law graduate, an accused in the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation scam.
The court's observation came as an appreciation for the concern expressed by the counsel of the petitioner Kanaka Lakshmi.
Prior to this, apart from claiming that the accused was innocent and she had been falsely implicated in the case, Kanaka Lakshmi's counsel argued that the deceased Jeeva was not an advocate, but running a business firm along with her sister, who is the complainant.
The deceased was one of the beneficiaries of the crime proceeds of Bhovi Nigam's scam. He also expressed his concern over white-collar criminals trying to escape from the clutches of law under the garb of advocacy.
Giving reasons for the rejection of the anticipatory bail and materials placed before it by the prosecution, the court noted that circumstances emanating strengthen the apprehension of the public prosecutor that there is the possibility of holding threats to the witnesses and destruction of the evidence if anticipatory bail is granted.
Thus obviously, there exists the necessity of custodial interrogation to avoid this possibility and ensure the effective investigation of the crime. Therefore, this is not a fit case to grant the pre-arrest bail, the court added.
Kanaka Lakshmi was booked on the charges of abetment of suicide and demanding a bribe of Rs 25 lakh based on the death note left by the deceased Jeeva and the subsequent complaint filed by her sister.
