The Delhi High Court on Friday said it is “appalled” to know that TMC MP Mahua Moitra’s counsel contacted and tried to mediate between her and the advocate against whom she has sought restraint orders to prevent him from circulating any defamatory content against her.
“I am really appalled. You are a person who is expected to maintain the highest professional standard. If you have been in contact with defendant no. 2 (advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai)…” Justice Sachin Datta told senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who was representing Moitra in the suit she has filed for permanent injunction and damages against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, Dehadrai and a battery of media organisations.
The public expression of displeasure by the judge prompted Sankaranarayanan to withdraw himself from the case.
Moitra, one of the most vocal members of the Lok Sabha and a strong critic of the Modi Government, is in the eye of a raging political firestorm over allegations by Dubey that she took bribes from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask questions targeting industrialist Gautam Adani and his group.
The court was informed by Dehadrai, who appeared in person, that he was contacted by Sankaranarayanan over the phone on Thursday for withdrawing his complaint to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader over the alleged she accepted from Hiranandani.
Moitra has filed a plea seeking to restrain Nishikant Dubey, Dehadrai, several social media platforms and media houses from posting or circulating any alleged fake and defamatory content against her.
During the brief hearing, Dehadrai said, “There is something very disturbing. There is a very serious conflict of interest. He (Sankarnarayanan) had a 30-minute call with me.
“He asked me to withdraw the CBI complaint in exchange for the dog (which Dehadrai was alleged to have stolen from Moitra). He can’t appear in the matter, I have the recording.”
Responding to the claim, Sankaranarayanan said Dehadrai has instructed him in the past in some cases and that is why he approached him.
He also said he told his client, Moitra, that Dehadrai was a member of the Bar and he had earlier assisted him in a case so let him speak to the latter to which she agreed.
The judge said, “You tried to play the role of a mediator. Are you then eligible to still appear in this matter? It is something that you need to answer yourself. It is your call”.