Gurgaon-based lawyer awarded 3-year jail term for duping client

The lawyer was accused of duping his client of ₹2 lakh which was given to him as compensation after he lost a hand in an accident

A Gurgaon-based lawyer was convicted in a case under sections of cheating, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by a district court on Monday and given three-year imprisonment. He was accused of duping a client of Rs2 lakh, which was awarded to the client as compensation by a labour court after he had lost a hand in an accident.

AThe client was defrauded in 2008 but the complainant, identified as Shahabudin, reported the matter to the police in 2009. (HT Representative image)

The client was defrauded in 2008 but the complainant, identified as Shahabudin, reported the matter to the police in 2009.

Judicial magistrate Ravish Kaushik held the accused, advocate Rajpal Chaudhary, guilty under sections 420, 406 and 120B of the IPC. The accused was awarded three years imprisonment and fined Rs5,000 by the judge, who relied on forensic evidence and statement of 12 witnesses.

The court in its order stated that the actions by the lawyer could shake the belief of litigants in the legal system and as such, exemplary punishment needed to be given.

Public prosecutor Vishal said that the contention of the prosecution was that the accused had taken advantage of the fact that two persons with the same name had become his clients.

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Shahabudin, son of Yakub, has been declared a proclaimed offender by the court as he was in collusion with the lawyer and had opened an account, which was used to deposit a cheque meant for the accident victim.

The lawyer not only wrongly identified this person as the original beneficiary, Shahabudin of Karaika village in Mewat, but also submitted a document to the bank that carried scanned copies of the thumb impression of the victim, which helped them get the money.

Choudhary alleged that he was being framed as the two persons were friends but his contention was rejected by the court, said Vishal.