Advocates taking up cases pro bono for philanthropic purposes or organisations doing it in case of violation of constitutional rights is no news. Doing the same in mission mode is Free Legal Aid, a group of young lawyers, donning their coats on behalf of the oppressed sections of the society.
Within seven years of establishment, the group has taken up close to 130 such cases across the State where the victims or parties are from socially and economically disadvantaged communities. And they have successfully handled about 15 to 20 cases resulting in justice for the victims.
Life mission
Behind the success is the determination of Subbarao Singapogu, one among the 12 founder-members and the only one who has lasted this long. Death of his grandfather after custodial torture 47 years ago, has moved this 26-year-old to take the pro bono cases as his life’s mission.
“My grandfather Dola Muttaiah from Yadavalli village of West Godavari mandal was a literate Dalit, who ran his own grocery shop and educated his community members about their rights. He was falsely implicated in a theft case, and tortured in the lock up, before being released without any charge. He died two months later due to liver and kidney damage,” Mr. Subbarao said.
There were no legal provisions then to take action against the police, and hearing of the injustice made his blood simmer in slow agony. In later life, he and his relatives too had to suffer when they had taken on the sand mafia, which egged him on to take up the legal profession.
“Police is the worst establishment in our country, still under the colonial hangover. The way they treat disadvantaged communities is a blot on civilised society,” says Mr. Subbarao.
After finishing the law course, he, along with his fellow lawyers, set up the Free Legal Aid group. The initial enthusiasm wore out for all others after a while, owing to lack of income, and additional expenditure. “Sometimes, the victims cannot even afford travelling expenses and we have to foot them. Several lawyers came and left from the group due to this. Now, we are only four handling dozens of cases,” Mr. Subbarao says.
To run the show without going bankrupt, the group networks with other advocates practising at different courts across the State. “They do not take up cases on our behalf, but help us with dates, adjournments and other trivial tasks, by filing ‘wakalat’ on our behalf, and thereby precluding the necessity of us being present for every hearing. We go only for major sittings,” Mr. Subbarao says.
In order to make the ends meet, he works as legal advisor to two companies, and takes Kuchipudi dance lessons for enthusiasts. The group has also organised legal awareness camps in several districts to educate people on their rights. Free Legal Aid may be contacted on 8499 842988.
