Baig’s lawyer no more an NCP man

Rehman told The Indian Express that a senior NCP leader told Habib Fakir,state president of NCP’s minority cell,that the party will suspend him for six years for taking up Baig’s case,prompting the move.

“I came to know that some NCP leaders were planning to remove me from the party. There was pressure on me so I decided to resign on my own. I sent my resignation letter by fax to our president Habib Fakir,” said Rehman.

“I was a part of NCP ever since it was formed on June 10,1999. I worked devotedly for the party over the years. But now that the party does not want me,I have resigned. I stand by my decision of defending Baig. I am not doing anything against the law,” Rehman said.

When contacted,Gurunath Kulkarni,the state general secretary of NCP,said the the party has accepted Rehman’s resignation. Kulkarni said that Rehman has resigned from his post and also from the primary membership of the party.

“Rehman is a senior lawyer. We respect him. He has willingly resigned from the party. So we have accepted his resignation,” Kulkarni said.

Rehman defended Baig at the Pune court on Monday. The NCP had then decided to take action against Rehman for taking up the case of an alleged terrorist.

Even the Pune Bar Association (PBA) condemned Rehman by shouting slogans against him for representing Baig. Advocate Milind Pawar,president of PBA had requested Rehman not to take up Baig’s case. Rehman,however,took up the case saying that it was the constitutional right of the accused.

Earlier,on Sunday the Shiv Sena and BJP had warned advocate Sushil Mancharkar from Pimpri who had declared his intention to take up Baig’s case.