After R Basant's Refusal To Accept Remuneration As Amicus, Parties Donate Rs 45 Lakhs To Trust In His Senior's Name

Senior Advocate R Basant of the Supreme Court recently turned down the honorarium for acting as an amicus curiae to facilitate the resolution of a long-drawn family dispute. Following this, the parties of the case made a voluntary contribution of Rs 45 lakhs to a trust formed in memory of the senior of R Basant, late Advocate K Bhaskaran Nair.

A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Karol expressed gratitude to Basant for his assistance in bringing a happy settlement between the members of the family. The Court also acknowledged the efforts of Advocates A Karthik and Akshay Sahay who assisted Basant.

"It is the duty of the Court to acknowledge the assistance rendered by Mr. R. Basant, learned Amicus Curiae, the ESCROW Mr.A. Karthik, assisted by Mr. Akshay Sahay, to bring this litigation into a happy settlement between the members of the family. The Court is grateful for rendering such service by them and we acknowledge their assistance."

The development happened in a set of appeals which have been pending in the Supreme Court since 2010. In 2017, after the efforts of the amicus curiae, a settlement formula was arrived at. A bench comprising Justices Kurian Joseph and R Banumathi had then lauded the efforts of Basant and Karthik who had declined to accept any remuneration. “Despite the persuasive request of the Court, Mr R Basant and his associate Mr A Karthik have declined to accept any remuneration for the wonderful assistance, though we are convinced that they are entitled to receive the same,” the Court had recorded in the order passed in 2017.

Now, after curtains have been drawn to the dispute, the parties volunteered to contribute to Adv. K. Bhaskaran Nair Foundation, as Basant declined to accept remuneration. It was under K Bhaskaran Nair that Basant started his legal practice at Calicut in 1973. In 1988, he joined the District Judiciary. He served as a judge of the Kerala High Court from 2002 to 2012. After his retirement, he started practising in the Supreme Court.

The Court also acknowledged the cooperation rendered by Nazmi Waziri, Sr. Adv, Khowaja Siddiqui, Adv, Sanchit Garga,  Mithu Jain, Adv. for the disposal of the long-drawn litigation.

Click here to read the order