New Delhi, June 20 (UNI) The Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) has urged Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai to take suo motu cognizance of summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to senior advocate Pratap Venugopal in connection with a legal advice he rendered to a client.
SCAORA expressed concern that such actions have “serious ramifications for the independence of the legal profession.” The association stressed that summoning advocates for professional opinions given to clients undermines the foundational principles of the legal system.
The ED had issued a summons to Venugopal on June 18, seeking documents and communications related to his legal advice to M/s Care Health Insurance Ltd (CHIL) concerning Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) granted to former Religare Enterprises chairperson Dr. Rashmi Saluja.
The summons also sought details of payments made by CHIL, Religare Enterprises Limited (REL), or their associated entities for legal services rendered.
Venugopal has been asked to appear before the assistant director of ED in Mumbai on June 27.
This move follows a similar summons issued earlier to senior advocate Arvind Datar regarding the same matter. The summons to Datar was widely condemned by the legal fraternity as an attack on the professional independence of advocates.
Following public and institutional backlash, the ED reportedly withdrew the summons issued to Datar.
Several legal bodies, including SCAORA, the Madras Bar Association, the Delhi High Court Bar Association, and the Gujarat High Court Advocates Association, have voiced strong opposition to these summons.
The Gujarat association has also called on the CJI to intervene and formulate clear guidelines to protect the sanctity and autonomy of the legal profession.
