'Fake Advocate' Case: Kerala HC to conduct detailed hearing on August 31

Kochi (Kerala) [India], August 12 (ANI): Kerala High Court on Thursday posted anticipatory bail plea of Sessy Xavier, who is accused of practising as an advocate for two-an-half years without completing her law studies, to August 31 for a detailed hearing.

Single Bench of Justice K Haripal observed that the matter required a detailed hearing and posted it on August 31. On August 29, Xavier had approached the high court seeking anticipatory bail.

The petitioner had contested the Alappuzha Bar Association election this year and won as a librarian though she was not a member of the association. Xavier, who hails from Alappuzha district, was accused of forging documents and the corresponding roll number of the Kerala Bar Council submitted to the Alappuzha Bar Council.

The State government pleader opposed the bail application of Xavier said in court, "The petitioner had posed herself as an advocate and appeared before several courts. All averments made in the bail plea were deceptive."

Advocate Roy Chacko who appeared for Xavier said: "The petitioner was a student at Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram during 2014-2017. She did not complete her LLB course because she failed in some subjects. Due to the poor financial condition at home, she could not complete her course. Instead, she joined as a law intern in an advocate’s office at Alappuzha.

She attended the courts regularly at Ramankary and Alappuzha, wearing a coat without the advocate's gown."

Earlier the Alappuzha north police registered an FIR against her based on the complaint of the Secretary, Alappuzha Bar Association. The offences charged against her include offence under section 417 (cheating), 419 (cheating by impersonation) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property). The FIR stated that Sessy Xavier by providing roll with No K 1177/2018, which is the roll number of an advocate practising in Thiruvananthapuram, acted as an advocate before the litigant and before the court. (ANI)