SC lawyers’ body asks ED to respect independence of Bar, exercise restraint

The Enforcement Directorate’s summons to senior advocates Datar and Venugopal drew strong condemnation from legal bodies like the SC Bar Association and SCAORA. They argued the summonses undermine the independence of the bar and attorney-client privilege protected by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. Concerns were raised about a chilling effect on legal professionals providing honest opinions.