HC holds full court reference to pay homage to late Iqbal Chagla

He was so considerate that he always gave space to the junior-most member of the Bar, said the chief justice of Bombay high court, Alok Aradhe

MUMBAI: Chief Justice of Bombay high court, Alok Aradhe, on Thursday said that senior advocate Iqbal Chagla, who passed away on January 12, firmly believed in high legal ethos and would return a brief if he found that a client had acted immorally.

HC holds full court reference to pay homage to late Iqbal Chagla

Speaking at the full court reference for the deceased lawyer and a doyen of the Bombay Bar Association, the chief justice recalled Chagla’s journey from a degree in history and law at Cambridge to his return to Mumbai due to the passing away of his mother.

Chagla began his practice at the chambers of Kharsedji Bhabha, along with the likes of Soli Sorabjee, and went on to take up major cases such as the split of the legal giant Amarchand Mangaldas and dispute between beverage giants Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Aradhe said. He was so considerate that he always gave space to the junior-most member of the Bar, the chief justice added.

Addressing the gathering, advocate general Birendra Saraf likened the thrill of seeing Chagla appear before the high court with a young actor’s awe at seeing Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Saraf recounted the meticulous preparation that went into Chagla’s arguments and said he would argue only after listening to the juniormost lawyer in his chamber.

The advocate general recalled Chagla’s resolution against five judges at the Bombay high court for indulging in corrupt practices, a move he was warned would amount to criminal contempt of the court where he practiced.

Nitin Thakker, president of the Bombay Bar Association, paid homage to Chagla by recounting his staunch support for civil liberties, evidenced in his passing a resolution as the bar association president condemning the Emergency.

Fondly called Mikki by people who knew him well, Chagla was fond of golf and jazz and would always stop for panipuri at the Bengali market in Delhi, Thakker recounted.

Farzana Behramkamudin, president of the Bombay Incorporated Law Society, said Chagla gave up the brief opposing the Bandra Worli Sea Link after he realised that it was not in the larger public interest and refused to take up Nestlé’s brief against the Maggie-ban till he was convinced that it was safe for consumers.

Chagla is survived by his wife Roshan, daughter Rohika, and son, justice Riyaz Chagla.