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Cal lawyers’ contempt for Didi | UK’s Magic Circle club less exclusive | Kapadia salutes Indian const values | Ex-jailbird becomes Bom HC advocate | Passive corruption not enough to convict Babu | Bom HC celebrates ancient legal docs on 150th bday

Calcutta HC lawyers file, while SCBA and West Bengal bar association consider filing, a contempt petition in Cal HC against West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee who said, “Why should many judgements today be delivered for money? Why?” in the West Bengal assembly on Tuesday. SCBA president Pravin Parekh said: “It is a serious allegation against the entire judiciary, which is very irresponsible, especially for a chief minister.” [Daily Bhaskar]

The UK’s so-called magic circle of top four law firms is not so exclusive anymore: mergers and Swiss Verein alliances have rocketed revenues at CMS Cameron McKenna (combined turnover of £692m – Rs 6,000 crore), Hogan Lovells (more than £1bn), Herbert Smith (£861m) Ashurst (around £590m) and others into some of the UK’s and the world’s largest firms by turnover. [The Lawyer]

Nashik Central Jail inmate grows up to be Bombay HC lawyer, handling civil and criminal cases, after serving his term under conviction for murder. Hitesh Shah who “unintentionally” murdered a relative in a loan scuffle in 1989 and was convicted in 1992, went on to graduate from Narjeevan Law College after his release. “I met lot of good people even in jail. I began getting their cases while I was in jail, even before I enrolled as a lawyer. I did not feel the need to work under a senior lawyer. When in prison, I met a senior advocate from Bombay high court, S G Kudle, who was serving a three-month sentence for contempt of court, and whenever I need guidance, I seek it from him," says Shah [TOI]

Bom HC rules that for public servants to be convicted under POCA, “there first has to be a demand made by the accused, coupled with a voluntary payment of bribe by the complainant”. Just an “offer" of money “without demand” will entitle the accused to benefit of doubt. The Nagpur bench of Bombay HC acquitted a senior clerk in a first class judicial magistrate’s court, more than seven years after his arrest for allegedly accepting Rs 300 for producing case papers in court [DNA India]

Pointing to his own example, CJI Kapadia says that India is the only country where minority community members can aspire to become judicial heads, “because of the full play given to constitutional value and ideals”. Attorney General Vahanvati, also a member of a minority community, seconded his sentiment [TOI]

On 150th anniversary Bombay HC exhibits Gandhi’s 1923 cancellation from the advocates’ rolls after the freedom fighter was convicted for sedition for his articles written in ‘Young India’. The exhibition also displays the letter enrolling  BR Ambedkar and Bombay 1948 chief justice MC Chagla as advocates, the three sedition trials of Tilak, ancient court fee stamps and lease deeds, and a Gujarati summons [Express]

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