Monday, January 31, 2011

Bar council to probe Raja’s alleged judicial tampering


New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the all India regulatory body for advocates to begin an inquiry into the alleged attempt by a senior lawyer, acting on behalf of then telecom minister A Raja, to influence a Madras High Court judge for a favourable order in a criminal case. Withdrawing an interim order protecting the lawyer and former Tamil Nadu Bar Council chairman R Chandramohan, a Bench comprising Justices D K Jain and H L Dattu vacated its December 15 interim order, by which it had stayed a Madras HC direction for an inquiry by the Bar Council of India (BCI).

Chandramohan's counsel Mukul Rohatgi informed the court that his client had already handed over charge of the state regulatory body to the Tamil Nadu advocate general because of the coming elections to the TN Bar Council. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for caveator E Rajendran, requested the court not to show any leniency to the former state Bar Council chief, whose action was contemptuous to say the least. Chandramohan had allegedly told Justice R Reghupathy in June 2009 in his chamber that he should favourably consider the anticipatory bail plea of the accused as the minister A Raja wanted it. TNN

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