Advocate attaches objectionable photos along with a plea, got fined Rs 25,000

Mumbai: A Mumbai-based advocate has been fined Rs 25,000 for attaching objectionable photos along with a plea for squashing a rape case against a man in the Bombay High Court.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and SM Modak in the order observed that "no sense of proportion or discretion" was exercised by the petitioner's advocate while annexing the "highly objectionable" photographs with the plea.

A copy of the order dated October 7 was made available today.

The bench came across the photographs while hearing the petition filed by the accused man's wife seeking to quash the FIR and chargesheet filed against him in a rape case.

"Advocates fail to realise that these petitions are filed/placed before the Registry and get circulated through various departments, exposing the parties involved in the photographs," the court said.

It further noted that annexing such photographs was an invasion of privacy of the parties and directed the advocate to forthwith remove the same from the petition copy.

"We expect all advocates to exercise some discretion and proportion whilst annexing photographs which are highly objectionable," the court said.

"For the said conduct of the advocate, we direct the advocate to deposit costs of ₹ 25,000 with the Kiritikar Law Library within two weeks," the bench directed.

PTI Input