Wrong news by Surat newspapers in bribery case involving charity commissioner maligned CA Profession

Recently many of the newspaper circulating in Surat city have published a news in which they claimed that a person namely ‘Manish Pachhigar’, who was arrested with Asst. Charity Commissioner, Surat in alleged bribery case of Rs. 75000/- is a Chartered Accountant.  While as a Matter of fact ‘Manish Pachhigar’ is not a Chartered Accountant and he is not holding degree of Chartered Accountant. ICAI Surat (WIRC) has taken strong objection to reporting by Newspapers of ‘Manish Pachhigar’ as a CA and have conducted a Press conference on 12^th June 2019 and issued a press release to  them to issue clarification in this regard.

Wrong news by TOI- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/senior-charity-officer-ca-nabbed-in-rs-75k-bribery-case/articleshow/69747743.cms

Clarification by TOI after Press conference by Surat ICAI-

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/aide-to-asst-charity-commissioner-isnt-a-ca-icai/articleshow/69762716.cms

Relevant Press Release is as follows:-

THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF INDIA

(Set up by an Act of Parliament)

Surat (WIRC)

13th June, 2019

Respected Sir,

Jay Hind ……!!!!!

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) Is set-up by an act, of Parliament, where currently more than 2.4 Lacs Chartered Accountants are member. This is the Institute and Its members to whom Hon’ble Past President of India Late Shri. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam sir has called “Partners In Nation Building” and our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji has said that “Signature of CA has more power than signature of Prime Minister.”

Surat Branch of WIRC of ICAI, which is a Branch of The Institute of Chartered Accountants cf India (ICAI) having more than 4800 Chartered Accountants member. In your daily newspaper yon have published news on 12.06.2019 for spreading awareness to common man that Asst. Charity Commissioner, Surat and his collusion person who Is Chartered Accountant caught in an act of taking bribe. We want to humbly, submit that journalism is an act of full of responsibilities and in this connection we have to draw your attention to the fact that person whose name is Manish Pachhigar is not a Chartered Accountant and he is not holding degree of Chartered Accountant. We again say that he is not a Chartered Accountant; he may belong to some other business or profession.

In your newspaper you have addressed and identify a person as Chartered Accountant who is actually not a Chartered Accountant, due to witch it has harmed to the Chartered Accountants profession’s Name, Goodwill and respects amongst the common man. It is very disheartened to our Chartered Accountants fraternity that when a person who is not Chartered Accountant is shown & addressed as Chartered Accountant in your daily Newspaper. We therefore request you to publish without fail a public notice mentioning therein that a person who is involved is wrongly mentioned and addressed as Chartered Accountant in the news of your newspaper on 12.06.2019.

We are also, requesting you to take note that if you found any news where Chartered Accountant is involved in any cases, please contact Surat Branch of WIRC of ICAI for confirming that actually whether that person who is involved is Chartered Accountant or not. So that In future a responsible newspaper like yours will not publish wrong news which will lead harm to our community.

Thanks & Regards,

CA. Mihir Thakkar
Chairman
Surat Branch of WIRC of ICAI

The plea of newspapers was that the accused was referred as a CA in FIR and hence they reported it as such. The Surat Branch of ICAI have also sought an appointment with City Police Commissioner and update him over the issue and way forward to avoid wrong reporting.

While such wrong news are on the rise in recent future, there is a need to respond to such news via proper clarifications and actions by local ICAI branches at various levels.

The Author is a Practicing Chartered Accountant and regular contributor of taxation articles and other legal updates on various social media platforms.