Senior Advocate Accused Of Taking Client’s Money To Bribe Judges Seeks Relief From Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Telangana government on a petition by Senior Advocate Vedula Venkataraman, who is facing criminal proceedings for allegedly accepting ?7 crore from a client to bribe High Court judges for favorable orders.

 

A Bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih issued the notice after Venkataraman challenged the Telangana High Court's refusal to quash the FIR against him.

 

Allegations and Legal Proceedings

 

Venkataraman is accused of accepting ?7 crore from a client under the guise of bribing judges but allegedly failing to act. When the client demanded the money back, Venkataraman reportedly refused, hurled caste-based slurs, and threatened the complainant's family. An FIR was registered against him under several sections of the IPC, including criminal breach of trust, cheating, intentional insult, and criminal intimidation, as well as provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

 

Telangana High Court's Stand

 

The High Court declined to quash the FIR, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations, which cast doubt on judicial independence. Justice K. Lakshman remarked, “Such allegations question the integrity of the judiciary and must be investigated.” However, the court granted Venkataraman protection from arrest, noting that some claims appeared exaggerated and custodial interrogation was unnecessary.

 

Supreme Court Appeal

 

In his appeal, Venkataraman argued that the FIR lacked prima facie evidence and did not meet legal standards, citing the Lalita Kumari v. Govt. of UP case, which mandates a preliminary inquiry before registering an FIR in certain situations. He also highlighted that no chargesheet had been filed, casting further doubt on the complaint's credibility.

 

Legal Representation

 

Senior Advocate Niranjan Reddy, supported by advocates Mandeep Kalra and Anushna Satapathy, is representing Venkataraman in the Supreme Court, challenging the Telangana High Court's decision.

 

As the case unfolds, it raises serious questions about the interplay between allegations of misconduct and the sanctity of judicial independence. The Supreme Court’s response will set a critical precedent in balancing the investigation of serious charges and protecting the judiciary’s reputation.