Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR against eight lawyers and two other individuals in a case involving alleged fraudulent activities linked to a fake Vakalatnama. The FIR outlines allegations of criminal conspiracy, forgery, cheating, and other offences.
The matter arose when the petitioner, Bhagwan Singh, informed the Supreme Court Registry that he had neither filed a special leave petition (SLP) nor engaged any lawyers to represent him. This revelation came over a month after the Supreme Court had issued notice to the State of Uttar Pradesh in the SLP. The case led to an investigation by a Bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma, which uncovered that the SLP had been filed without the petitioner’s knowledge or consent. The Court noted that such practices raised serious concerns about integrity and ethics in legal proceedings and directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry.
The FIR further records that the petitioner had never met the lawyers who claimed to act on his behalf in the Supreme Court and Allahabad High Court, the accused, including eight lawyers, allegedly conspired to file the SLP and related miscellaneous applications fraudulently.
The Supreme Court emphasised that fraudulent practices, such as the filing of fake vakalatnamas, undermine the sanctity of judicial proceedings. The Bench directed advocates-on-record (AoRs) to ensure that only authorised lawyers appear and argue cases. Any change in the arguing counsel must be communicated to the court master in advance or at the time of the hearing. The Court issued a stern warning that lawyers engaging in such misconduct would face strict disciplinary and legal actions. It underscored the duty of legal practitioners to uphold ethical standards and maintain public confidence in the judicial system.
The CBI’s FIR is a significant step in addressing these allegations, with the central agency set to investigate the extent of the conspiracy and the involvement of the accused individuals. This case highlights the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in legal proceedings.
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