New Delhi: A Delhi court has ordered lodging an FIR against a lawyer for allegedly duping the government by charging fees from it for purportedly appearing for it in a case on `dates` which were never given while missing the court on actual dates.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Virender Bhat ordered registration of a criminal case against advocate H K Gangwani, engaged by the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), saying it also needs to be probed if some government officials were also involved in the racket.
The court`s order came on a plea by All India Federation of Agricultural Association (AIFAA) secretary general. He had come to the sessions court in an came against the magisterial court order, which has dismissed his plea earlier for registration of an FIR against the advocate.
"No doubt, the fraud, misappropriation and cheating committed by Gangwani to the extent mentioned herein-above can be proved by the petitioner (AIFAA, Secretary General) by leading his evidence before the trial Court, I do not think that matter ends there," said the ASJ, while asking Inderpuri police station in-charge to lodge an FIR against the advocate.
"It needs to be investigated and found out who and in what circumstances passed the bills submitted by the counsel in DAC, Government of India," the court said.
"Apparently, there seems to be some collusion between the advocate Gangwani and the concerned officials posted in DAC, which needs to be unearthed," the court added.
The petitioner in its complaint before the magistrate had alleged the DAC had sanctioned a fee of Rs 48,650 per hearing to the advocate.
PTI
