Ram Jethmalani: a different lawyer who defends indefensible

New Delhi: Noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani treads a path, few, if not none , will dare to tread. He appears for clients who are famous for all the wrong reasons, in addition to some who have clean records. The list is long.

He is not so active now and takes up cases selectively. It may be a relief to some because he charges as much as Rs 25 lakh per appearance. Not to all, but. If he finds the case genuine and client poor enough to pay his fee , he appears without charging a penny.

His latest client is Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who often hogs the limelight for controversial statements and off-the-cuff remarks . He loves to remain in news.

The case the seasoned lawyer is fighting on his behalf is related to corruption charge he has levelled against Union finance minister Arun Jaitley. Jaitey is not the first person to face his accusation at present .He may not be the last.

Earlier, he had charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi with collecting money from Sahara group for some undue favour. The Supreme Court had refused to entertain him but all this falls on deaf ears.

Jethmalani has the same devil may care attitude . He has contested many talked-about cases against the wishes of common men. He has defended people who,in public eyes, deserve condemnation.

Instances are many. Take the case of former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. He has been convicted in fodder scandal but he too was defended by him. He had tried to come to the rescue of another former chief minister who is dead now , J Jayalalitha who too was jailed in a corruption case.

Let alone chief ministers and ministers, Jethmalani has come to the defence of Asaram Bapu too who was charged with raping a minor.

Killers of late Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, too were his clients. Perhaps he,like many others, firmly believes that a man or woman is innocent until he or she is proved guilty which may take years to prove or may not be proved at all.