Mumbai Court Denies Bail to Woman Accused of Posing as Supreme Court Lawyer in Fraud Case
A sessions court in Mumbai recently denied bail to a woman accused of posing as a Supreme Court lawyer and defrauding a builder of lakhs of rupees. The court observed that the woman was not a law graduate and had deceived several people by falsely representing herself as an advocate.
Additional Sessions Judge VM Sundale noted that the accused, Poonam Khanna, not only cheated the public but also disrespected the legal profession. The judge emphasized that the offence was serious and there was sufficient prima facie evidence against Khanna. The court also acknowledged the investigating officer’s concerns that Khanna might pressure witnesses or flee from justice.
Khanna was booked for cheating and other offences under the Indian Penal Code. The prosecution alleged that in 2019, Ashok Mohanani sought legal representation for two cases in the City Civil Court. A friend introduced him to Khanna, who falsely claimed to be a practicing Supreme Court lawyer and offered to represent him for a legal fee of ₹15 lakh, of which Mohanani paid ₹10 lakh as an advance.
In one case, Mohanani faced construction issues at a village due to the electricity department’s failure to install a transformer, resulting in financial losses for him and other builders. Khanna assured the builders she would file the necessary legal proceedings to secure the transformer, demanding ₹3 crore, with 50% in advance. Mohanani and other builders agreed to pay her ₹2.11 crore, with ₹71 lakh paid initially.
However, Khanna neither completed the work nor initiated any legal proceedings. Upon discovering her deceit, Mohanani lodged a complaint against her. The prosecution revealed that Khanna had eleven criminal cases registered against her in various police stations and had provided false residential addresses during investigations.
The court noted that Khanna’s anticipatory bail pleas were rejected by both the Supreme Court and the High Court. It also highlighted that similar crimes were registered against her in Haryana and that she had no permanent abode, having provided false information about her residence during the investigation.
Advocate Nasima Battivala represented Khanna, APP Ratnavali Patil appeared for the State, and Advocate Umesh Iyer appeared for Mohanani.
(With inputs from agency)
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