Embattled former communications minister A. Raja has landed in yet another problem, with the Madras high court on Tuesday ordering suspension of a lawyer close to him for pressuring a judge to grant bail to his friends caught in a Puducherry marksheet scam.
A division bench comprising Justices F.M. Ibrahim Kalifullah and M.M. Sundresh ordered the suspension of lawyer R.K. Chandramohan, chairman of the bar council of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, while referring extensively to a letter written by Justice R. Regupathy, since retired, to the high court chief justice complaining about the lawyer’s conduct.
In his July 2, 2009 letter, Justice Regupathy said Mr Chandramohan had gone to his chamber and said a man and his son accused in a marksheet scam “are family friends of a Union minister by name Raja, and that the petition filed by them for anticipatory bail must be considered favourably.”
“Simultaneously, he handed over his mobile phone ... saying the Union minister was on the line... Rightaway I discouraged such conduct of Chandramohan and told him the case would be disposed of in accordance with the law if listed before me,” Justice Regupathy said.