Former Joint Secretary of VBA, advocate Angara Venkata Lakshmipathi Rao, has been sentenced to one year of simple imprisonment and a fine of 8,000 by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate J Padmavathi for cheating colleague advocates. The verdict was delivered in a court in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
According to reports, Rao had collected a monthly amount of 5,000 from each of the advocates in the name of chit amount prior to September 2019. However, he failed to repay the amount to the aggrieved advocates. As a result, Rao was charged under sections 4 and 5 of the Prize Chits Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act 1978.
The case had been under trial for several months, and the verdict was finally delivered after the prosecution and defense presented their arguments. The court found Rao guilty of cheating his colleagues and ordered him to serve one year of simple imprisonment.
In addition to the imprisonment, the court also imposed a fine of 8,000 on Rao and his wife. The fine is to be paid to the advocates who were cheated by Rao. Failure to pay the fine could result in additional legal action against the convicted lawyer.
The verdict has been welcomed by the legal community, who have lauded the court’s decision to hold Rao accountable for his actions. The case serves as a reminder that cheating and fraudulent practices will not be tolerated in the legal profession and that those found guilty will be brought to justice.