Court denies bail to woman who posed as lawyer to defraud builder

The Sessions Court has rejected the bail application of a woman accused of defrauding several individuals by falsely claiming to be a Supreme Court advocate and charging them exorbitant “legal fees.”

MUMBAI: The Sessions Court has rejected the bail application of a woman accused of defrauding several individuals by falsely claiming to be a Supreme Court advocate and charging them exorbitant “legal fees.”

HT Image

Poonam Khanna, posing as a practicing Supreme Court lawyer, demanded legal fees of ₹15 lakh and ₹3 crore respectively from Mumbai-based builder Ashok Govindram Mohanani in 2019. After receiving ₹50 lakh, she neither rendered any legal services nor returned the money, prompting Mohanani to file a police complaint against her.

In rejecting her bail plea, Additional sessions judge VM Sundale stated that Khanna had not only cheated the public but also disrespected the noble legal profession. Investigations revealed that Khanna had deceived numerous people under the false pretense of being an advocate and that she was not even a law graduate.

The investigation report disclosed that 11 criminal cases were registered against Khanna in Maharashtra and Haryana. It was also found that she had provided false residential addresses.

Previously, Khanna’s anticipatory bail applications in the Supreme Court and the High Court were rejected. The High Court determined that a custodial inquiry was necessary.

The court emphasised that Khanna had deceived multiple individuals by falsely representing herself as a Supreme Court advocate. The investigating officer opposed her bail application, citing a strong possibility of her committing similar offences, pressuring prosecution witnesses, and evading justice if released on bail.

Highlighting the serious nature of the offense, the court concluded that there was sufficient prima facie evidence against Khanna, making it inappropriate to grant her bail.