Supreme Court Curbs Police Powers to Summon Lawyers for Client-Related Probes

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has protected lawyer-client privilege by barring investigating agencies from summoning lawyers regarding advice given to clients. The court mandated that such summons can only be issued in exceptional cases, explicitly stated, and must be pre-approved in writing by a senior officer of at least Superintendent of Police rank. The verdict, which sets aside previous ED summons, also introduced safeguards for seizing digital devices from legal professionals, reinforcing fundamental rights to legal representation and fair trial.