Senior Congress leader and Advocate, Kapil Sibal has once again come in the limelight over representing controversial clients. The latest controversy around the clients represented by Sibal has come into the spotlight after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) identified an organisation named Rehab Foundation of India (RFI), which has pumped funds to the tune of over Rs. 120 crores for the anti-CAA protests. However, the list of such clients represented by Kapil Sibal is rather long.
1. PFI
The Popular Front of India (PFI) has drawn fire over its involvement in anti CAA violence all over the country. The latest ED report alleges that the PFI has paid a sum of Rs. 77 lakhs to Sibal. However, Sibal remains in denial and claims that the payments from PFI have nothing to do with the anti-CAA protests.
He has however admitted that he received the payments for legal services rendered in the years 2017 and 2018. It must be noted that PFI, an affiliate of banned terror outfit SIMI has been involved in communally motivated murders and radicalism in the recent past. Moreover, there have been instances of PFI activists joining global terror organisations including the ISIS. Though he claims that the payments from the Islamist organisation have no linkages with the anti-CAA protests, representing such an organisation in any matter is in itself a matter of controversy.
https://twitter.com/Bhagirathi29/status/1221972787696259072
2. Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)
Even before the PFI controversy came into the picture, Sibal’s name had already come up in reference to the anti CAA protests. Even before the Amendment legislation got the Presidential nod, there were reports that the Supreme Court advocate, Kapil Sibal would represent the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) against the CAA (then the CAB).
It is relevant to mention in this context that the IUML is an offshoot of All India Muslim League, the party responsible for Partition of the country. The IUML had itself tweeted about the development showing how Sibal was going to come to the rescue of the Islamist party.
https://twitter.com/iumlofficial/status/1204426663439872000
3. Saradha scam accused, Madan Mitra
In 2015, Kapil Sibal had once again come into the limelight as he represented the Saradha scam accused, TMC leader Madan Mitra. The issue had led to a division within the Congress itself as Adhir Ranjan Choudhury had hit out at Sibal calling Sibal’s decision to represent Mitra a ‘major embarrassment’ for the Congress in West Bengal.
The Saradha scam remains a blot on the Mamata Banerjee led government in the state of West Bengal. In fact, the Congress too had come out alleging widespread corruption in connection with the Saradha Chit Fund scam. Sibal had argued in a bail plea for Mitra who was arrested by the CBI in connection with the Saradha Chit Fund scam.
4. Sunni Waqf Board in Ayodhya Ram Janambhoomi dispute
Kapil Sibal had also represented the Sunni Waqf Board, one of the parties representing the Muslim side in the Ayodhya dispute. He has the dubious distinction of trying to delay the Ram Janambhoomi dispute hearing. He had even argued for deferment of hearing in the Ayodhya dispute before the Supreme Court.
Way back in December 2017, he had argued before the top court that hearing in the Ayodhya dispute be deferred and continued only after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections get over. BJP leader, Subramanian Swamy had intervened in the Ayodhya dispute and claimed that the pending appeals infringed on his right to worship. The Supreme Court had then fixed December 6, 2017, as the date of hearing in the matter, and had also said that no further adjournments would be given.
In this backdrop, Sibal had argued, “Why should this court fall in the trap? Why was it not heard earlier, why now? This is not an ordinary suit. It is perhaps the most important litigation in the history of India and will decide the country’s future. It will have serious ramifications. The court should not in this circumstance hear this matter that will have an impact on polity.” He had also said that there is no proof of Ram being born at the disputed site while arguing in favour of pro-Babri Masjid litigants.
5. All India Muslim Personal Law Board (Instant Triple Talaq case)
The Muslim women have borne the scourge of several misogynist and inhuman practices, and archaic laws such as the Instant Triple Talaq for several centuries. Even after India’s independence and commencement of the Constitution, such practices remained in force in the garb of freedom of faith.
When a ray of hope came in the form of a plea against Instant Triple Talaq before the apex court, Kapil Sibal again represented the controversial side- the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), arguing, “If I have faith that Lord Rama was born at Ayodhya, then it’s a matter of faith and there is no question of constitutional morality. And why should the court interfere? Similar is the case with triple talaq.”
He even made a bizarre contention that since Muslims were practising Triple Talaq for the last 1400 years, the Court should not strike it down as unconstitutional and invalid.
The list of Kapil Sibal’s controversial and shady clients is rather long. The present story is only illustrative and not exhaustive, and there are a number of such cases where Sibal has come out defending controversial clients. In fact, every allegedly tainted, corrupt, anti-national and radical outfit/ individual seems to knock at the doors of Kapil Sibal every time such person/ organisation faces legal trouble. The latest controversy involving PFI only corroborates Kapil Sibal’s history of representing controversial clients.