Lucknow: As the rampant misuse of the SC-ST act has increased, the Allahabad High Court has directed the CBI to probe gang filing SC-ST act cases against the advocates. These cases have been filed against the lawyers for stepping down from the cases they have taken. The gang has been allegedly filing frivolous FIRs against HC & Prayagraj District Court lawyers representing the accused people in the Court.
A bench of Justice Gautam Choudhary stressed that in the interest of justice and to protect the interests of lawyers who are victims of false allegations merely on the ground that they are fighting the case on behalf of the accused persons, it is necessary that the CBI investigate these cases.
The court was hearing an application filed by the alleged victim under section 482 of CrPC, seeking early disposal of the trial against the accused (an advocate). The lawyer was booked under section 376-D, section 506 of the IPC and section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST Act. When the matter came up for hearing on July 21, 2022, the lawyer appearing for the accused lawyer said that there was a gang of lawyers running in the High Court who implicate people in such fake cases and extort money.
Taking cognizance of this submission, the court asked Bhupendra Pandey, counsel for the accused, to produce a list of cases which have been registered against innocent persons including lawyers. A list of 51 such cases was presented before the Court and it was submitted that false and frivolous FIRs were even registered against the village head and other innocent villagers on the pretext of extorting money from the innocent.
Reacting to the important points raised by the lawyer, the Court has ordered the CBI inquiry in the present and the cases mentioned in the list be done within two months.
