[Mehmood Pracha] Delhi Court appoints Advocate Commissioner to oversee seizure of computer, ensure data sanctity

A Delhi Sessions Court on Saturday appointed an advocate-commissioner to oversee the seizure of advocate Mehmood Pracha's computer and ensure that the data contained therein is not tampered with amid the raids being carried out by the Delhi police. .The order follows a day after the Court declined to stay the conduct of the raids itself, which Pracha has contended is a violation of lawyer-client privilege. .Saturday's order, passed by Judge Dharmender Rana, appoints advocate Avneet Kaur as the local commissioner with a fee of Rs 25,000 to be paid by Pracha. The Judge ordered the Investigating Officer to coordinate with advocate Kaur and visit Pracha's office on the same day, i.e. Saturday, March 27. .Pracha's Dell computer was directed to be seized with the IO's seal. The Judge also ordered that the procedure be videographed at the State's expense. Further, "The revisionist (Pracha) is directed not to tamper with the computer in question", the Court added. .The appointment was made upon a joint proposal across the Bar so as to ensure the sanctity of the data in question. .Earlier this year, a raid at Pracha's office was undertaken by the Police in connection with an FIR alleging that he had tutored a witness to initiate a false Delhi Riots case. .Pracha later moved the Court praying for directions to protect the privileged communication with his other clients on his laptop/hard disk in terms of Section 126 of Evidence Act. .Last Friday, a Patiala House Court refused to interfere in the application filed by Pracha, stating that his objections were baseless adding that the search warrant can be executed in accordance with the law. The same day, a revision petition was moved by Pracha before the Sessions Court against this order. .Pracha had contended that if the search warrants are not stayed, the purpose of revision petition would be defeated. After ordering for the seizure of Pracha's computer under the advocate commissioner's supervision, the Court has now posted the matter for further consideration on April 28..[Read the order]