Errant lawyer to fight 12 free cases, says HC
SOURCE: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Errant-lawyer-to-fight-12-free-cases-says-HC/articleshow/7427781.cms
NEW DELHI: A lawyer, who tried to threaten a jeweller to elicit information about purchases done by his client's estranged wife, has been ordered to render pro bono work in 12 cases by the Delhi high court.
Justice Hima Kohli asked the Delhi Legal Services Authority to assign 12 cases to the advocate that he has to fight for free. HC order came after the errant lawyer offered an unconditional apology and submitted that he was remorseful for his action of threatening a jeweller. The court said DLSA will submit a detailed report on the assigned work at the next date of hearing scheduled in May this year, when the court will review if a genuine attempt was made by the advocate in doing pro bono work.
HC was hearing a case relating to a dispute between a couple when it was brought to the attention of the bench that the lawyer for the husband wrote a threatening letter to one Rajesh Soni, a jeweller from whom the wife had purchased some jewellery. In the letter, the advocate demanded information on the sales tax number, books of accounts, sales tax return and other confidential details related to the purchase. While admitting remorse, the lawyer claimed that he had tried to seek the information only because he wanted to verify the allegations levelled against his client by his wife, in connection with purchase of 'stridhan' from Soni.
But HC took a very serious view of the matter, more so when it realized that the husband himself was a lawyer by profession. The court saw the letter sent to the jeweller as a "muscle flexing" and an attempt to browbeat the wife so that she doesn't pursue the case in court.
As per the prosecution, the couple got married in January 2008. Soon after, the allegation went, the relationship turned sour because the wife was harassed for getting less dowry at the time of marriage and asked to bring more. She alleged that her husband didn't support her or save her from this harassment and she was even beaten up by her in-laws.