TMC MPs Write To President Seeking Removal Of Tushar Mehta As Solicitor General Over Alleged Meet With Suvendu Adhikari

All India Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) Members Mahua Moitra and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy on Monday wrote a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking removal of Tushar Mehta from the post of Solicitor General of India due to his alleged meeting with BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari who is an accused in the Narada case and the Saradha Chit Fund scam case which are currently being investigated by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

On July 2, TMC Leaders Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, and Mahua Moitra had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing similar concerns.

Labeling the meeting as "a deeply troubling matter of national importance that raises grave doubts of impropriety in one of India's highest legal offices — the Office of the Solicitor General of India", the letter pointed out how such a meeting between the Solicitor General of India and the accused could wreck the public's confidence in the judiciary.

"The Solicitor General of India, being the second-highest law officer of the Republic of India after the Attorney General of India, advises the Government of India and its various organs in crucial legal matters. Thus, a meeting between an accused person in grave criminal offences and the Solicitor General of India, who is advising the very investigating agencies who are investigating and prosecuting such an accused person, reeks of impropriety and is a blatant conflict of interest. Such a meeting makes a total mockery of the criminal justice system in our country and would only serve to destroy the common man's faith in the judiciary", the letter read.

Referring to the particulars of the meeting, the letter noted that the incident had taken place on 1 July 2021, when the accused BJP MLA Mr. Adhikari after meeting the Home Minister, Mr. Amit Shah at his Krishna Menon Marg residence had immediately proceeded to the residence of the Solicitor General of India at No. 10, Akbar Road. The TMC MLAs in the letter also stated that the occurrence of such a meeting had been corroborated by a leading National Daily with the caption 'Suvendu Visits Delhi, Meets Shah and SG'.

Questioning the professional integrity of the Solicitor General and also alleged political interference in the concerned criminal case, TMC MPs Mahua Moitra and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy opined,

"We, therefore, have reasons to believe that such a meeting has been organised to influence the outcome of criminal cases where Mr. Adhikari is an accused person, using the high offices of the Solicitor General. We state that the act of the Solicitor General to provide an opportunity of an audience to Suvendu Adhikari not only indicative of grave impropriety but also raises troubling doubts about his professional integrity."

The Solicitor General had issued a clarification regarding the alleged meeting by affirming that the BJP MLA Mr. Adhikari had indeed come to his residence unannounced but did not meet him. He also stated that he subsequently 'apologised' to the BJP MLA through his PPS (Parliamentary Private Secretary) for his inability to meet him and for making him wait.

Responding to the aforementioned clarification the TMC leaders questioned the professional ethics of the Solicitor General by observing,

"Perhaps realizing the gravity of his actions, the Solicitor General has since attempted to offer an explanation to the Press that Mr. Adhikari came to meet him "unannounced", and hence he had to 'apologise' for not meeting him. We ask ourselves, if this means that the Solicitor General would indeed have meet an accused person in criminal cases if they had come with "a prior appointment"? We ask ourselves, has the Solicitor General forgotten the ethics and principles which circumscribe his conduct in the high office he occupies?"

The letter also requested the President to direct the Solicitor General to tender his resignation following a proper investigation by observing,

"The conduct of the Solicitor General, we are sad to say, is against every ethical principle known to the legal profession. The Solicitor General's conduct must be investigated and pending such inquiry, he must tender his resignation"

The TMC leaders also advocated for the publication of the concerned CCTV footage of Mr. Adhikari's visit so as to dismiss further speculation regarding this clandestine meet.

Furthermore, terming the Solicitor General's aforementioned defense to be "without corroboration, unconvincing and undignified", the TMC leaders reiterated the need to protect the sanctity of the Office of the Solicitor General in the interest of the public.

Accordingly, the leaders urged the President to take all required measures to uphold constitutional ethics and reinstate public faith in the judiciary by observing,

"We, therefore, approach Your Excellency to initiate necessary steps for the removal of Mr. Tushar Mehta from the post of the Solicitor General of India to uphold India's Constitutional values."

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