Chennai: ‘Rowdy’ client shoots his lawyer dead after argument over payment
Victim's family, however, failed to buy the version that the client, Eesa, accidentally pulled the trigger of pistol
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-09-08 05:35 GMT
Chennai: A 32-year-old advocate was shot dead by his 'rowdy' client, allegedly after an argument over payment of lawyer's fees, on Sunday night on the Mamallapuram bypass road on East Coast Road. Advocate Kamesh Srinivasan and Eesa alias Eshwaran were returning from Puducherry when the incident happened when the duo were said to be in an inebriated condition. Mamallapuram Police to whom Eesa surrendered later said that they are unclear as to the motive as Eesa claimed he accidentally pulled the trigger of the 9 mm pistol he was carrying.
Advocate Kamesh Srinivasan of Besant Nagar was shot dead by his rowdy client on Sunday night on ECR. The victim's family, however, failed to buy the version that the client, Eesa, accidentally pulled the trigger of pistol. They have petitioned the cops to investigate further. "The lone bullet had hit the right thigh and pierced through the lower abdomen. X-Rays showed the bullet to be stuck in his left abdomen," Dr M. Dinakaran, Kamesh's brother-in-law, told DC at the Government Royapettah Hospital (GRH) mortuary on Monday.
A resident of Vannathurai in Besant Nagar, Kamesh has been practising as an advocate, appearing mostly in criminal cases at the Madras high court for the past five years. Kamesh had left his residence in his 'Maruti Swift' on Sunday around 9am, saying he was going to Puducherry along with his client. Police said Eshwaran is a rowdy based in Tondiarpet who had been arrested twice in murder cases.
"My son had earlier appeared for him and took him out on bail. I remember him saying he did not pay his fees properly," G.Srinivasan, Kamesh's father said. Kamesh last spoke to his wife, Deepa around 9 pm that night saying that he would be reaching home in an hour.
Three hours later, the family members saw the car pull up outside their home. "It was 12.30 am. My son's friend, Selvam and two others, also advocates knocked on our door. When we went outside, my son was lying on the backseat of our car," Mr Srinivasan recalled.
Selvam told family members that Kamesh had called him for help after Eshwaran shot him and they rushed in an autorickshaw to the spot and retrieved Kamesh and his car. Eshwaran, who fled the scene, eventually surrendered at the police station.
His family members first took him to a private hospital near their residence where doctors recommended that Kamesh be taken to another hospital. Around 1.30 pm, Kamesh was taken to Fortis Malar Hospitals in Adyar where he was declared brought dead.
"The suspect, Eesa was at the police station when I went there and he told me that he pulled the trigger by accident. I don't believe that. I am not aware if he had any enemies. His profession is such that such possibilities cannot be ruled out," said a bereaved Srinivasan at the GRH mortuary.
Mamallapuram police have registered a case of murder and have detained the suspect Eshwaran. Speaking to DC, an investigating officer said. "He (Eesa) is leading us on a wild goose chase. Until now, no concrete motive has been established. We are suspecting a sour financial deal over real estate business to be the reason." The bullet and the 9 mm pistol seized from the scene would be sent to the lab for a ballistic report, police said.