Allahabad HC Asks CBI Why Only One Advocate Is Assigned To Represent It Before The High Court [Read Order]

"It is very strange that CBI is keeping only one Advocate to argue the matter and nobody is available to assist the learned A.S.G. The Court has taken very serious view of the matter as nobody is available to assist the court on behalf of the CBI in absence of learned A.S.G," the Bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh observed.

The Court was hearing the bail application of a former Assistant Post Master, booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, along with provisions under IPC for offence of forgery and falsification of accounts.

When the Court sought to hear the objections on the bail plea, Advocate Kazim Ibrahim, appearing on behalf of the Central Government informed the Court that he is not authorised or empanelled to argue/assist on behalf of the CBI.

On a query put forth by the Court as to whether the CBI has any Panel or not, he stated that only Assistant Solicitor General SB Pandey is authorized to argue the matter on behalf of CBI and there is other no empanelled Advocate for the purpose.

However, since the ASG was not keeping well, he could not appear before the Court and hence there was no authorized personnel to make submissions on behalf of the CBI.

Under these circumstances the Court directed the Deputy Legal Advisor, CBI to file a personal affidavit within two weeks, explaining as to why only one Advocate is assigned to argue entire cases of CBI filed in the High Court.

The matter is now listed for September 22.

Case Details:

Case Title: Jawahar Lal @ Jawahar Lal Jalaj v. UOI

Case No.: Bail App No. 3096/2020

Quorum: Justice Chandra Dhari Singh

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