ED's summons to Arvind Datar: Case details and controversy
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently summoned senior advocate Arvind Datar over his legal opinion in the Religare ESOP case, but withdrew the notice soon after.
This move sparked strong backlash from the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA), who called it an "arbitrary" use of power that could threaten how freely lawyers can do their jobs.
SCAORA's statement on ED's datar summon
Lawyers and legal groups warn that summoning a lawyer just for giving professional advice blurs important boundaries and could make people afraid to seek honest legal help.
SCAORA says actions like this risk public trust in independent legal counsel, and they're pushing for better rules to protect lawyers from being targeted by investigative agencies just for doing their work.
For anyone who values fair access to justice, these concerns hit close to home.