Madras High Court was left shocked after a petitioner, who claimed to be a practising lawyer, filed a plea to quash an FIR against him for running a brothel. Upon hearing the plea, Madras HC urged the state bar council to only enroll members from reputed institutions.
A bench comprising of Justice B Pugalendhi heard and matter and expressed strong disapproval towards the petitioner. Shocked over the plea, the court stated that it was "high time" the bar council realised that the reputation of advocates was decreasing in society.
"It is high time the Bar Council has to realise that the reputation of the Advocates in the society is getting decreased. At least hereafter the Bar Council shall ensure that members are enrolled only from reputed institutions and restrict the enrollment from unreputed institutions from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and other States,” the court observed as per a LiveLaw report.
The court heard two petitions filed by Advocate Raja Murrugan. The first petition sought for the quashing of an FIR against him and the second one was a mandamus directing the police to not interfere with his business of running a brothel.
The petitioner disclosed to Madras HC that he operates a trust which offers services such as consensual sex acts between adults, counselling and "therapeutic" oil baths for individuals over 18 years of age.
It was also observed that his ex-wife and her parents had filed a criminal case against him by sending a 17-year-old girl to the trust.
The state high court slammed Murrugan over the petition and told the advocate that he had misunderstood the Supreme Court's judgement in the Budhadev case.
The court added that the top court had taken up the case for the prevention of trafficking and ensuring rehabilitation of sex workers, the advocate had exploited a minor girl by taking advantage of her poverty.
The High Court was shocked over the petition and demanded that the advocate show his enrollment certificate and other qualifications.
It was then discovered that the petitioner was a BTech graduate and had a Bar Council Identity with an enrolment number. However, it was not determined if Murrugan had studied law or not.
