New Delhi: Chief Justice DY Chandrachud went down memory lane recently and recalled how when he was a young lawyer, a client gifted him a saree in lieu of his legal fee. “We appeared for a very important politician. He was very happy with me as to how the case was handled by a junior like me. I was staying in a small flat in Som Vihar and the politician appeared at my door. The politician presented a nice saree to my mother,” the Chief Justice narrated.
“When I went next morning to my office the senior told me that this was the fees – the saree. I was so disappointed how a junior cannot be appreciated and later on I came to know that this was really the fees,” he recalled.
The Chief Justice then narrated another case where the possibility of getting more cases was dangled but not the money.
“When I came to this court as a lawyer for the first time. I was being assisted by the Advocate On Record Mr Ganpule. The client made several trips to Delhi to instruct me and Mr Ganpule would file. The client would tell me I will give you many more cases. Mr Ganpule told me that when a client says this it means there is no fees to be paid in this particular case,” he added further.
