The Ahmedabad police on Friday arrested a con man who is alleged to have robbed several people by posing as a lawyer and defending them in court. He was exposed after his victims approached the police.
On Saturday, when the assistant police commissioner, ST/SC cell, produced, Paresh Shah, 40, before the metropolitan magistrate court, several litigants, who were allegedly conned by Shah were also present. An army of advocates also came to the court to demand action against Shah.
Among those present was one Shamji Ratnotar, a senior citizen, and his wife. Ratnotar, whose complaint led to the arrest of Shah said that he had sought for the fake lawyer's help in a dispute with his landlord.
"I got in touch with Shah, who claimed to be a lawyer, through my relatives. He promised to fight my case and in the process took Rs53,000 from me over a period of time," said Ratnottar told DNA.
On June 30, Ratnotar came to know that Shah was not a lawyer and so he demanded his money back.
When Shah failed to pay the victim and instead threatened him, he filed a compliant with the Naranpura police. The police later arrested Shah on Friday and produced him before the court on Saturday. The prosecution demanded his police custody for interrogation as Shah had allegedly cheated several others by posing as a lawyer.
Meanwhile, Shah pleaded innocence in the matter and accused the lawyer fraternity of victimizing him under the influence of his father-in-law and brother-in-law, who are also lawyers. The court later granted three day's police custody of Shah.
His wife on the other hand accused her father and brother of harassing her husband as they did not approve of their marriage.
