Mukul Rohatgi, who is one of the most senior and expensive lawyers in the country, will be appointed as the new Attorney General of India, as per news reports. Rohatgi will assume the top advocate post in the country after it is vacated by KK Venugopal next month, say sources.
This will be Rohatgi’s second tenure as an AG, after he served the post for the first time between June 2014 and June 2017. Earlier, a veteran lawyer and present Attorney General KK Venugopal expressed unwillingness to continue in the top law officer’s post beyond September 30 citing health problems.
Earlier, Venugopal had announced that his stint as the Attorney General of the country is set to end on September 30. Now sources said the 67-year-old Rohatgi will start his second stint as the Attorney General on October 1.
This is not the first time that Mukuk Rohatgi will become the Attorney General of India. In fact, he held the post for three years starting from 2014 to 2017 after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government came to power.
Being one of the most celebrated and reputed lawyers in the country, Rohatgi has been a part of several high-profile and heavy-importance cases. Here are some of the most talked-about cases fought by the new Attorney General of the country.
Top cases, clients of new AG Mukul Rohatgi
2002 Gujarat riots
When the Gujarat government was facing several lawsuits in the wake of the horrific riots in the state, Mukul Rohatgi was brought in by the government. He defended the state through multiple appeals and fresh lawsuits, and also the SIT clean chit given to PM Narendra Modi.
Justice Loya’s death case
The death of Justice Brijgopal Harkishan Loya in the middle of a judicial proceeding against now-Home Minister Amit Shah became one of the most controversial cases of all time. After Loya’s death was publicized, Mukul Rohatgi was brought in to defend Shah in the case.
Aryan Khan drug case
The drug bust in Mumbai involving Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan became one of the most high-profile cases of recent times. Mukul Rohatgi was hired as the defense counsel for Aryan Khan, who was eventually given a clean chit in the case.
Vijay Mallya money laundering case
Liquor baron Vijay Mallya was accused by several banks, including the State Bank of India, on multiple counts of money laundering. Mukul Rohatgi was representing the consortium of banks in the case, leveling multiple charges against Mallya, who now remains absconding.
Petition against Article 377
Mukul Rohatgi was representing petitioner Navtej Singh Johar 2018, who had decided to challenge Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalized consensual gay sex. Rohatgi had appealed to the bench to consider the rights of the LGBTQ community, though the petition was later dismissed.
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