Guwahati, March 29: The Gauhati High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on two lawyers for dragging a case on behalf of ‘non-existent client’.

A single-judge bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi imposed the fine on two lawyers.

Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi observed: “What is astonishing is that the judicial process has been successfully taken for a ride for the last more than six years by instituting and continuing a case by a non-existing person.”

“The role of the counsel who appeared for the non-existing petitioner is absolutely important as the counsel had accepted the case of the petitioner by signing the Vakalatnama and taking all steps from time to time on behalf of the non-existing petitioner,” the judge said after dismissing the case filed in 2016.

Investigation revealed that no person by the name of Beolin Kharbhih (a woman petitioner) exists, the High Court Court’s order stated.

Meanwhile, the court eventually directed the petitioner’s counsel to secure her personal appearance.

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