Sad Demise of City’s Senior Advocate Muncirabettu Seetharam Shetty
Mangaluru: Karnataka Bar Council Vice President/Former President of Mangalore Bar Association and one of the most senior advocates of Mangaluru, Munchirabettu Seetharam Shetty passed away on Thursday due to breathing problem here in Mangaluru. He was 85.
A graduate of Udupi Law College, Seetharam Shetty joined as juniorvtrainee with a leading advocate of that time, N N Suvarna, in 1959. He passed the Bar Council Exam in 1960, bagging the 12th rank in the state and enrolled as an advocate in the same year. Seetharam later began his career as an junior lawyer of Kallige Mahabala Bhandary in Kasargod before moving back to Mangaluru to begin his own practice.
He has served as the special prosecutor of Karnataka Government in several cases. He was also a former president of Mangaluru Lawyers’ Association. He appeared in a number of cases, in Mangaluru, Kasaragod, and Thalassery district courts. Shetty started his independent practice in Mangaluru in 1967, specializing on the criminal side, operating from his own chamber at Pailands Building, Hampankatta, Mangaluru.
Seetharam was also the legal adviser of U T Fareed, former MLA of Ullal and father of Ullal MLA U T Khader, he also served in this position to senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary. Moreover, U T Khader himself began his legal profession as a junior lawyer under Seetharam. Other junior advocates who had taken training from him are MLC Ivan D’souza, Moose Kunhi Nayarmoole, Prakash Kumar and Haleema. Of theses, the last three had served as judges. U T Khader, Ivan D’souza and other senior leaders of Congress including Ramanath Rai, Janardhan Poojary have condoled the death of Seetharam.
Seetharam’s expertise saw him conduct special cases including appearing as special as special prosecutor in CBI cases in Mandya. He appeared for the government in the inquiry into firing on farmers at Kunigal, and was also the special prosecutor in the classik Computer case. The other important cases he handled include, appearing before the Justice Jagannath Shetty Commission relating to communal violence in Bhatkal; Justice Sadashivayya Commission relating to communal violence in Surathkal; Justice Vaidyanatha Commission relating to the kidnapping and death of former minister H Nagappa.
M Seetharam Shetty served as President of Mangalore Bar Association and District Bar Association of erstwhile undivided Dakshina Kannada district. He was also elected member of the Karnataka State Bar Council multiple times, recently serving as its Vice President .He has left his legacy behind in training many juniors as advocates.
Seetharam was admitted in a private hospital in the city due to breathing problem and blood pressure issues on June 7. He passed away at the hospital on Thursday afternoon. He is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. He will be cremated at Nandi Gudda on June 14, Friday afternoon between 2 pm-3.pm. Prior to that His body will be kept for public viewing at Loyola Hall, St Aloysius PUC Campus, Kodialbail, Mangaluru today (14 June) between 1-2.30 pm