Justice, But At What Cost?

Top Delhi lawyers on why they take up certain cases—criminal and civil, high profile and even the ordinary— on pro bono basis, and how they use their wealth of experience and skills to counter such cases

- Ornella D’ Souza

SINCE last year, every time Pinjra Tod activists Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita secured bail, the Delhi Police promptly rearrested them on a new charge related to allegedly conspiring the anti-CAA NRC protests and Northeast Delhi riots, finally slapping them with the non-bailable Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. On December 8, the Delhi High Court gave the Delhi Police three weeks to file its response to a writ petition by Kalita who has sought for a copy of the video of the protests. The matter is up for hearing today (January 7).

Handling the two’s case is akin to walking on hot coals, which is why their lawyer Adit S Pujari, 34, associated with Kapil Sibal’s chambers, refuses to comment on it. The Independent Criminal Law Practitioner is also appearing for CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat seeking a registration of FIR against BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Kapil Mishra over their alleged hate speech during the Delhi riots; and the All India Students’ Association (AISA) Secretary, Chandan Kumar, for alleged violence in the anti-CAA protests.

Simultaneously, he is representing a handicrafts salesman seeking a fair investigation into why his daughter allegedly jumped off the school terrace, and a lady trying to get the landlord charged with criminal negligence for not fixing a faulty water motor that electrocuted her husband.