Perhaps the only laudable decision the Goa Government has taken is to put to pasture Atmaram Nadkarni and his close relative Dattaprasad Lawande. Atmaram Nadkarni over the last many years taking undue advantage of his very close clout with Manohar Parrikar had been mercilessly looting the state exchequer. There needs to be a thorough probe into those crores of rupees pocketed very deviously by Atmaram Nadkarni, Dattaprasad Lawande and their accomplice advocates. Infact if Atmaram Nadkarni had any self respect he should have gracefully resigned as Additional Solicitor General of India.
It is now sincerely hoped that the current AG Devidas Pangam will earnestly ensure that his team of lawyers in the High Court is not only compact but very well qualified to protect the good interests of the State. In view of the fact that the State coffers are empty, there is need to keep to the bare minimum the financial burden of appointing Government Advocates in the High Court. There is no need of burdening the tax payer with Government Advocates who can only seek adjournments.
With the blessings of the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Narendra Modi, Atmaram Nadkarni was trying to sneak in as a Judge of the Supreme Court. But I wrote a very open letter to the then Chief Justice of India and all his fellow Judges giving entire details of Atmaram Nadkarni’s treacherous background and that it would be the darkest ever day in the history of the Indian Judiciary, if Atmaram Nadkarni creeps in as a Supreme Court Judge. I drew the attention of the Honourable Supreme Court Judges that Atmaram Nadkarni by his blatant acts of omission and commission had brought utter and sheer disgrace to the high Constitutional post earlier as Advocate General of Goa and now as Additional Solicitor General of India. Ironically the now sacked and disgraced advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande is desperately trying to be a High Court Judge. God Save our Judiciary.
Professional ethics demands that a person occupying such high and solemn constitutional post as Advocate General or Additional Solicitor General should never ever appear for a private party in a case where the government is directly or even indirectly a party but this cardinal principle was brazenly flouted by Atmaram Nadkarni and Dattaprasad Lawande in their never ending penchant for raking in the moolah even by any unholy means. Atmaram Nadkarni even facilitated his client Vijay Mallya’s safe escape from India after having looted our nation by over 9000 crores.
Persons appointed to any Constitutional position should never be someone who have a lust and greed for wealth or having vested interest with any lobby but has to always ensure the State’s best interests at heart and should act as a role model while upholding impeccable integrity and the highest ethical standards.
The very dubious Atmaram Nadkarni maintained close links with the Mining, Casino and Builder’s lobby while in violation of ethics and in conflict of interest had been deviously appearing directly and indirectly in cases against the Government.
Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done especially in the Judiciary. Lawyers must uphold the rule of law and the judiciary must live up to the faith bestowed in them at all times. They must be independent of the executive always acting in the best interests of the state and the people they represent. Transparency and openness are crucial to instilling public confidence in the justice system. Regrettably this has been lacking over the last few years but the current AG Devidas Pangam gives us hope for a brighter future.
