Rajasthan's opposition party is investigating a potential conflict of interest involving the state government's legal representation in the Adarsh Credit Cooperative Society scam, raising concerns about fairness for defrauded investors.
Key Points
- Rajasthan government accused of playing a 'double game' in the Adarsh Credit Cooperative Society scam.
- Allegations of conflict of interest arise involving Additional Advocate General Shivmangal Sharma.
- Sharma's law firm allegedly represents the state in the Supreme Court while also representing a co-accused in the Delhi High Court.
- The Adarsh Credit Cooperative Society allegedly defrauded 22 lakh people of approximately Rs 15,000 crore.
- Opposition demands a high-level probe into the alleged conflict of interest and potential professional misconduct.
Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Tika Ram Jully on Friday alleged that the BJP government in the state was playing a "double game" with the victims of Adarsh Credit Cooperative Society scam and raised questions over the role of the state's additional advocate general.
Addressing a press conference, Jully alleged a conflict of interest involving Additional Advocate General Shivmangal Sharma.
He claimed that the law firm of Sharma and others was representing the state government in the Supreme Court in the matter, while also appearing for a co-accused, Siddharth Chauhan, in a related case in the Delhi High Court.
"This raises serious questions about fairness and amounts to misleading investors who have already lost their savings," he said.
Jully cited the Bar Council of India rules prohibiting advocates from representing conflicting interests.
He demanded a high-level probe into the matter and asked whether the state government was aware of the alleged conflict.
"Appointing such a counsel amounted to betrayal of the victims. I want to ask the government whether action will be taken against the lawyer for professional misconduct," he said.
Details of the Adarsh Credit Cooperative Society Scam
He said the cooperative society, founded in 1999 by Mukesh Modi and his family, allegedly duped around 22 lakh people of nearly Rs 15,000 crore between 2010 and 2014.
Probe findings indicated that funds were routed through about 125 shell companies to benefit the promoters and their associates.
Jully said that an FIR was registered by the special operations group (SOG) in 2018, and arrests were made. Cases were registered in Gurugram and Delhi as well.
