Kerala govt opposes in HC anticipatory bail plea of woman who pretended to be lawyer

PTI, Aug 12, 2021, 5:39 PM IST

The Kerala government on Thursday vehemently opposed in the High Court, the anticipatory bail plea moved by a woman, who is accused of misrepresenting herself as a qualified lawyer and practising in a district court here without a license for nearly two years.

The government told Justice K Haripal that the woman has been booked for offences which are non-bailable and therefore, no interim protection from arrest be granted to her.

The court after hearing everyone briefly, did not pass any interim orders and listed the matter for further hearing on August 31.

During the brief hearing, the state’s stand was supported by a member of the Alappuzha Bar Association, which had filed a complaint against the accused woman.

The association member said that the woman by misrepresenting herself as a lawyer has appeared as a defense lawyer in several criminal cases, was part of some commissions, contested in bar elections and was elected as a office bearer.

The association member said that since she was not a lawyer, the legality of the cases she appeared in and the report of the commissions she was part of, all are called into question.

On the other hand, the lawyer for the accused contended that custodial interrogation of the woman was not required as the police already has all the documents required for its case and whatever it needs it can get from the bar association also.

The lawyer also said that the accused woman and her family has already suffered immense humiliation and if she is arrested or subjected to custodial interrogation, her life would be spoiled.

He urged the court to grant interim protection from arrest, but the court did not pass any orders.

The accused woman had earlier attempted to surrender before a magisterial court in Alappuzha under the belief that she would be released on bail, but when the likelihood of getting any relief appeared bleak, she fled from the courtroom.

According to the Alappuzha Bar Association, which revoked her membership and also passed a resolution that none of their members would represent her, she had not even completed her Bachelor of Law course and was impersonating as a lawyer for around two years.