Bombay Bar Association Condemns ED Summons to Senior Advocates Arvind Datar and Pratap Venugopal

The Bombay Bar Association has strongly condemned the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Senior Advocates Arvind Datar and Pratap Venugopal in relation to a legal opinion rendered professionally.

The Court emphasised that this act violates protections under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, which shields confidential advocate-client communication.

The summons arose during a money laundering probe into ₹250 crore ESOPs issued by Care Health Insurance to former Religare chief Rashmi Saluja; Arvind Datar rendered the legal opinion, and Venugopal served as advocate‑on‑record. 

Following nationwide backlash, the ED withdrew the summons and issued a circular mandating central approval before summoning advocates.