Advocate who sought removal of Gujarat Guv held

Lucknow police have arrested a lawyer who was fined by the Supreme Court and Gujarat High Court for lodging a PIL seeking removal of Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal. Advocate Ashok Pande,who had filed the PIL in Gujarat High Court and later in the Supreme Court,was sent to Gujarat on Sunday by the Lucknow police.

Pande was arrested from his Gomti Nagar residence on Saturday night. A non-bailable warrant was issued against Pande by the Gujarat High Court for not depositing the cost imposed on him by the Supreme Court and high court,police said.

A bench of Supreme Court justices H L Dattu and A K Dave had imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on Pande in March for filing the “misconceived” and “misleading” petition. Pande had sought removal of the governor after Gujarat CM Narendra Modi wrote a letter to the PM seeking to recall her for appointing Justice (retired) R A Mehta as Lokayukta without his consent.