A 27-year-old Kerala woman has been practising as a fake lawyer for nearly three years but was even appointed as an advocate commission in several cases.
She even took away the forged documents submitted to join the Alappuzha Bar Association as she was elected as an office-bearer of the association and was given charge of the association's library where the documents are kept. Though she turned up to surrender before the court, she managed to make her way out of the courtroom.
Sessy Xavier, a native of Ramankarry near Kuttanad in Alappuzha, who was practising under an Alappuzha-based senior lawyer since 2018, was found to be not holding an LLB degree. Though she did the LLB course, she was learnt to have not cleared the exams. However, she joined the Alappuzha Bar Association using forged documents.
An anonymous letter received by Alappuzha Bar Association leaders recently exposed the fraud. By that time Xavier managed to take away the forged documents she submitted. The Kerala Bar Council enrollment number she gave was found to be that of a Thiruvananthapuram-based lawyer.
Alappuzha North circle inspector Vinod K P, who is investigating the case, said that she joined the Alappuzha Bar Association using forged photocopies of qualification and enrolment. Efforts to nab her were progressing, he said.
Xavier initially joined as an intern under a senior lawyer in Alappuzha in 2018 and later she joined as a junior lawyer under him claiming that she cleared the LLB exams. The senior lawyer said that it used to be normal practice for junior lawyers to serve under seniors to gain experience. Most of them join after being recommended by known persons. Hence most seniors hardly verify the education documents.
She was learnt to be appointed as advocate commission by courts from a panel submitted by the bar association. But since she is now found to not be a lawyer, her findings may also now be challenged by affected parties, said a senior lawyer.
Alappuzha Bar Association president K Jayakumar said that though Xavier was not known for her performance as a lawyer, she maintained a cordial relationship with all and hence she was even elected as an office-bearer and was elected unopposed as the association library's in-charge. Thus, she might have managed to take away the forged documents submitted for registration.
Check out DH's latest videos:
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks