3 advocates prohibited from practice for alleged involvement in murder

The prohibitory order is based on a plea put forth by Uthamapalayam Advocates Association seeking to initiate disciplinary action against Advocates R Jeya Prabu and V Mathan from Theni and S Sokkar from Madurai as they figure in the FIR filled by the Uthamapalayam police pertaining to the murder of advocate Ranjith Kumar on March 6.

As per the case, in a dispute over the sale of a coconut grove worth Rs 13 lakh between one M K Selvendhiran and Rajagandham the latter’s son Vijayan along with 10 others had attacked the former and his family. Following this, a case was registered by the Gudalur police. But notwithstanding that, Vijayan reportedly hired the three advocates paying them Rs 6 lakhs to murder advocate Ranjit Kumar involved in the signing of the sale deal.

Accordingly, the three advocates along with others in a car rammed into the two-wheeler of the said advocate and thereafter attacked him with sharp weapons and escaped. Utthamapalayam police arrested two of the advocates--Jeya Prabu and Mathan--while a search is on for Sokkar who is at large.

Based on this, the bar council restrained the trio from practicing as advocates till disposal of disciplinary proceedings against them.