New Delhi: Demanding an extraordinary general meeting to condemn the CBI raids carried out in the offices and residences of Senior Advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover, more than hundred advocates of Supreme Court have written to the Supreme Court Bar Association.
The letter termed the CBI action an 'alarming precedent which strikes at the heart of the independence of the legal profession'. Despite the complete cooperation by the Lawyers Collective in the investigation, the CBI chose to take the unprecedented step, said the letter.
Stating that Indira Jaising and Anand Grover have consistently upheld the rule of law and the cause of justice and have committed their practice to the advocacy of marginalised groups, the advocates expressed solidarity with them, "in the face of clear abuse of process by the state machinery".
The Delhi High Court Bar Association has issued a statement condemning the raids, stating that it "expresses grave concern over search operations by law enforcement agencies in Advocates' offices. Call upon agencies not to take any steps which impair the independence of the profession."
The CBI had last week searched residences and offices of Jaising and her husband Grover, and Lawyers Collective in a case, alleging the violation of Foreign Contributions Regulation Act.
The agency had filed an FIR on June 13 against Grover who is the president of Lawyers Collective, a voluntary group known for raising human rights issues in courts, on the basis of a complaint by the Home Ministry that foreign aid received by the group was used in violation of norms.
Lawyers Collective said that the action for alleged violation of FCRA was taken by MHA in 2016 itself, and its officials had inspected and seized several documents from them. Therefore the sudden raid by CBI after three years is wholly uncalled for, especially so when no other NGO whose FCRA license got cancelled in 2016 is facing any criminal action, said the Collective in a statement.
The raids are "improper and deplorable" also for the reason that the raided premises included lawyers offices having privileged communications with clients," including those stigmatised because of HIV or other status", the statement said.
The FIR was registered after the Supreme Court issued a notice in a PIL filed by an NGO named 'Lawyers Voice' demanding probe against Lawyers Collective. Soon after the CJI-led bench issued a notice in the PIL, Jaising issued a statement suggesting that she was being targeted for demanding due enquiry process in the sexual harassment allegations against the CJI Ranjan Gogoi.
