Today, On 14th July, The Supreme Court will hear a suo motu case on investigative agencies summoning lawyers for giving legal opinions, following ED’s summons to senior advocates Arvind Datar and Pratap Venugopal. CJI Gavai-led bench will hear it.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a new rule prohibiting summons to advocates without the Director’s approval, emphasizing lawyer-client confidentiality protections. This decision follows backlash over potential violations during an investigation into CHIL’s allegedly improper issuance of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), which had faced prior rejection by regulatory authorities.
