The U.S. company started a probe into its legal representatives’ conduct in India, the Morning Context, a two-year-old media site that typically covers local affairs, reported Monday, citing three people familiar with the matter.
AZB Delhi. Shows the irony of our times. Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world going to space, and here we have few low life law firm idiots slogging 17 hours a day and risking prison time to make him some extra bucks.
If you go by the book then an advocate is not suppose to aid client in committing crime or illegality. This would mean that law will not be a lucrative profession as it is for a few and law firms shall cease to exist.
No. Law firms' job is to help the judges administer justice. If they believe their client has been wronged and help of the court is required to administer justice.
This is massive news, which powerful corporate lobbies and the Deep State will try their best to underplay in MSM through vague reports like the one above. But online independents news sites with nothing to fear will give you the inside picture. A site called the Morning Context has broken the news first and other news sites like Tech Crunch are referring to the report. Sharing links below. According to the Morning Context, two things have happened:
- Bribes have allegedly been paid to senior people in government
- Sr Corp Counsel Rahul Sundaram has been asked to go on leave.
Censored thanks to corporate media, published thanks to independent media. Note thatJeff Bezos's paper the Washington Post is silent, as are other "liberal" outlets. What a joke the liberal media is!
Some poor associate has been made a scapegoat. Brilliant! Of course his partner bosses had no idea of what was going on. It is only his and nobody else's fault, and that too in a place like AZB where associates have so much freedom.
Here is the likely political fallout. As this is likely related to the CCI, the Congress will use it to target Modi and the Commerce Minister (Piyush Goyal) during the UP elections. But keep in mind that the Hindu right is also angry with Amazon because of "anti-national" OTT shows and articles by Rana Ayyub in WaPo (owned by Bezos). Plus, the BJP has a strong votebank among Indian trader-castes (bania caste) in BIMARU states, who are unhappy with Amazon and lobbying for all sorts of restrictions on them. Then you have Indian commerce companies and the Atmanirbhar angle. So the BJP may just use this as an excuse to come down very hard on Amazon before the UP elections to appease all these lobbies: possibly a huge fine or even a ban. But then Bezos will lobby with Biden to get Modi to back off. Modi can then ask for concessions (e.g. action against Pakistan, H1B visas) and partly rollback
Why are we so shocked? Most large law firms and accounting firms get business because of their ability to liason with the authorities and judiciary. This is the norm and in only in a rare case does someone have the courage to blow the whistle. Even then most such exposes go off air soon and everyone forgets. Media is also well managed - look at how the MSM is giving this one a pass. No, AZB will not go down because of this.
Wow. The censorship on this is amazing. Is it because it relates to AZB? Partners across all other threads are named without substantiation but these partners are being protected and even initials not being released. It’s a matter of public record who the partners at AZB advising Amazon on litigation, compliance and tax are.
Mocking AZB aside, name me a single phoren company that is entirely compliant with FCPA while doing business in India. Shops Act registeration try karo kabhi, sirf DD me red flag kya karte ho.
If the matter is an urgent one - i.e. you need it listed within a day or two otherwise it goes infructuous - you can follow the due process all you want but the registry is going to make your life hell regardless. Your 'due process' to be followed is flawed. Except for district courts, udhar kuch bhi chalta hai.
Really? If you have urgency, you can literally file at 10:00 AM and mention in the morning (with undertaking to provide lodging number during the course of the day) and have your matter on board in the post lunch session. At least this was the scene pre-pandemic.
Unless it is a major typo error, Rs 8500 cr in legal fees is big enough for AZB to keep calm (or mum) and quietly look for fall guys. Applies equally for all others who were on this gravy train. Do not worry, only the tracks will change, high-speed or other variants.
Kaustubh was promoted to counsel by AZB in 2021. Worked in both corporate and litigation team at AZB as per AZB press release to Legally India. Who were his supervising partners? Bills are issued by partners to client not by associates.
Bumping this. Earlier today, it was confirmed by a media publication that all of litigation counsel's (Chopra) fees were paid by AZB as AZB had engaged him.
What's with the law firms/ lawyers shooting off legal notices to the publication whenever they are caught naked. Earlier it was NDA doing this to The Pioneer and now AZB/ Chopra doing it ot The Morning Context. This doesnt work and only helps in establishing culpability in the public opinion,
In such situations the law firm needs to outright deny the allegations if the news story is false. Otherwise just keep quiet.
R still censors my new conversation AFTER Vikas confirms AZB paid him.
Who were the disputes and corporate partner that Kaustubh was reporting to and why does R feel the need to ensure that this cant be a new conversation?
I am not censoring it, as you have rightly figured out, there is a thread running on this. But again for this thread - anything outside Morning Context or other reported sources maybe moderated.
Wonder what the people in the white collar crimes practice at AZB have to say about this. Wouldn't any US or UK client or law firm not want to hire AZB for their white collar crime work? How would they (AZB) advise on anti-corruption when they are themselves accused of having potentially bribed in India?
You are making it sound as if clients and especially foreign clients are not corrupt and the law firms are indulging in criminal activities on their own. The clients want to commit crime without getting caught and that is why they approach lawyers. The chances of getting caught if done through top lawyers is very law, and even when caught the situation can be managed. Similarly associates in the law firms dont bend the laws on their own volition.
Is hamam mei sab nange hai. Dont talk about virtues. This is not happening for the first time and Amazon and AZB will manage this well.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/amazon-vows-zero-tolerance-for-graft-after-india-probe-report/articleshow/86362576.cms
- Bribes have allegedly been paid to senior people in government
- Sr Corp Counsel Rahul Sundaram has been asked to go on leave.
https://themorningcontext.com/internet/amazon-whistleblower-alleges-india-lawyers-bribed-officials
https://english.lokmat.com/technology/monies-paid-by-amazon-in-legal-fees-have-been-funnelled-into-bribes-report/
https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/20/amazon-starts-probe-over-bribe-to-govt-officials-by-its-lawyers-in-india-report-says/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29
Curious to know if the whistleblower is an amazon employee and from which country.
Pave the way out your back into it
Tell us why, show us how
Look at where your came from
Look at you now.
Jeffferrryyyyy jeffryyyy beeeezos
Even more shocking that associates get fired to cover up for partners.
( ) are partners who handle the Amazon account. Why are they not opening up.
Zia make a statement. The nation wants to know.
See Nariman’s order. See AZB own press release.
VPS
AB
SA
me cries in a corner after the news broke
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/government-on-amazon-bribery-allegations-zero-tolerance-policy-towards-corruption-2547954#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll
A little curious. Part 2
A little curious. Part 3
Except for district courts, udhar kuch bhi chalta hai.
B. Is it even a law firm when you dont comply with law. Irony much here.
C. There are allegations of kick backs as well involving some AZB partners.
D. The government investigation should reveal all.
E. The Amarchands are rejoicing.
Bhai sahab, 8500 crore toh India ke saare law firms ka combined turnover nahi hoga.
Kaustubh was promoted to counsel by AZB in 2021. Worked in both corporate and litigation team at AZB as per AZB press release to Legally India. Who were his supervising partners? Bills are issued by partners to client not by associates.
Happy to be in news.
Feels great
In such situations the law firm needs to outright deny the allegations if the news story is false. Otherwise just keep quiet.
Who were the disputes and corporate partner that Kaustubh was reporting to and why does R feel the need to ensure that this cant be a new conversation?
- R
Is hamam mei sab nange hai. Dont talk about virtues. This is not happening for the first time and Amazon and AZB will manage this well.