Client-killer lawyer nabbed

Coimbatore: “I want my mother’s killer to be punished,” says M. Sakunthala after fighting back her gushing tears. The daughter of Amma­sai,whow as murdered, appealed to advocates in Coimbatore not to appear on behalf of the tainted lawyer Rajavel, who allegedly strangulated her mother.

“It is a big shock to our family. We were of the belief that she was alive. But when we came to know that she was murdered by her own lawyer, we were shattered. Knowing that she was actually killed by Rajavel. We couldn’t come to terms that she is no more,” wails 29-year-old Sha­kun­thala, a labourer in Rathinapuri.

Shakunthala said that Ammasai used to visit a church in Rathinapuri frequently. The priest had referred her to advocate Rajavel to settle the property dispute with her estranged husband.

11 December, 2011 : A 45 year old woman, Ammasai of Tatabad goes missing. Her daughter Sakunthala files a missing complaint.

11 December, 2011 : Rajavel and his associates allegedly strangled and cremated Ammasi’s body at the Athupalam crematorium.

30 November 2013: Police probe reveals that lawyer Rajavel was behind his client Ammasi’s murder to grab her propety.

December 3, 2013: - The City police rush to Andhra Pradesh, Chennai and Bangalore to nab the lawyer E T Rajavel who murdered his client to save his wife.

December 4, 2013: Advocate E T Rajavel seeks anticipatory bail from High court.

December 5, 2013: Advocate E T Rajavel and his wife Mohana were arrested by the Kovalam police in Kerala.

Police suspect that E.T. Rajavel and his associates may be involved in yet another murder.

Coimbatore: The misdeeds of advocate ET Rajavel, who faked the death of his own wife, is allegedly seen by advocates as a ‘blot’ in the legal fraternity.

“We felt pained as he misused this noble profession and brought a bad name to the entire legal community. At a time when the public have begun to raise doubts over the integrity of lawyers, it is unfortunate that ‘black sheep’ like him exists in our profession,” said M Vennila, president, Coimbatore Women Advocates Association.

Any advocate who violates the legal ethics is removed from the membership of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. “Removal from practice by the Bar Council will be done only after a detailed enquiry by a disciplinary committee of the council. However, any case of violation of ‘legal ethics’ will be taken up for consideration only when the accused lawyer is convicted,” said M. Loganathan, secretary, Coimbatore Bar Association (CBA).

Five lawyers from Coimbatore were suspended from practice by the Bar Council in October this year for allegedly conducting fake courts. They took money and even passed orders by holding courts in the name of ‘arbitration tri­b­u­­nal’.

“CBA also receives complaints from litigants. However, most of them are settled amicably through talks. Every day, we receive complaints pertaining to advocates charging high fees and giving false assurances to clients. While 30 per cent of the cases will be settled smoothly, in certain instances, we will refer them to Bar Council for further action,” he said.

A vigilance committee to probe into complaints of corruption by advocates was constituted here in 2011. However, CBA members said that the committee has become almost ‘defunct’.