Utt Goenkara has today challenged Goa’s Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak to
an open public debate on the alleged very serious charges against him of double
and excessive billing.
Utt Goenkara has reiterated that all allegations made against India’s highest
paid Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak were based on verified documentary
proof, facts and figures received from the Law department under the Right to
Information Act.
Mr. Subodh Kantak had billed the government Rs eight lakhs sixteen thousand for
his appearance in the High Court on 27th January 2006 in the Saleli riots case
involving the bail applications of 102 accused where the Advocate General was
paid 102 times Rs 8000 although factually it being a common argument for the
whole batch of bail applications the Advocate General should have charged only
Rs. 8000/.
In the PIL challenging the appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries, Mr. Subodh
Kantak was paid Rs 8000/- twice for appearing on 24th July 2007.
The very fact that the Goa government has now moved swiftly to bring the
Advocate General’s fee structure on par with other states vindicates Utt
Goenkara’s stand that the fee of Rs 8000/ - per case per day which was being
paid to the Advocate General was very exorbitant.
Mr. Subodh Kantak cannot mislead the people of Goa as the official records were
very clear that the hike in AG’s fees to Rs 8000/ per case per day was approved
by the then Pratapsingh Rane cabinet on 21st September 2006 and not by the
Parrikar government as is sought to be projected by Mr. Subodh Kantak.
It was only Mr. Subodh Kantak who could have upheld the dignity of the high
constitutional post of Advocate General but that Mr. Kantak by his own glaring
misdeeds has brought irreparable disrepute and disgrace to the post entrusted.
Besides Utt Goenkara, the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) at its last meeting
was highly critical of the Advocate General’s conduct and the UGDP, Save Goa
Front and the Shiv Sena have also strongly reprimanded Mr.Subodh Kantak and
demanded his removal from the high Constitutional post of Advocate General.
One wonders as to why Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak after receiving 2
crores 55 lakhs 97,012 rupees by way of fees for June 05 to August 07, shied
away from addressing the recent session of the Goa Legislative Assembly and
clarifying his position vis a vis the huge amounts claimed by him by way of
fees.
Aires Rodrigues
Spokesman
Utt Goenkara
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