The former Solicitor General of India spoke for nearly one-and-half hours to present India’s appeal against the death sentence to Mr Jadhav, whom Pakistan has accused of spying.
In a tweet, Ms Swaraj said 61-year-old Mr Salve, an authority on constitutional law who has often represented India in international forums, is charging only Re 1.
The tweet said , “Not fair. #HarishSalve has charged us Rs. 1/- as his fee for this case (sic),” Swaraj tweeted.
Her tweet came in response to a tweet by one Sanjeev Goyal, who said India could have got any good lawyer with much less fee than what Salve must have charged for fighting the case.
Harish Salve is one of the most expensive lawyers in the country is a fact possibly well known. Yet, just for numbers’ sake, Harish Salve takes home anywhere between Rs 6 lakh to Rs 15 lakh per appearance in the Supreme Court or the Delhi High Court.
India had approached the International court last week to challenge Mr Jadhav’s death sentence. The move, a first in 45 years, was necessary to save the life of an Indian citizen, India has said.
There is an “immediate threat” that Mr Jadhav will be executed even before the International Court reaches a decision, India said. “The situation is grave, it is urgent, and hence we approached this court at such short notice,” Mr Salve told the court.
India has said Pakistan has denied consular access to Mr Jadhav – who was abducted from Iran while running a business there – 16 times. His trial in Pakistan, Mr Salve said, was “farcical” and without a shred of evidence. “The basic rights of Jadhav were thrown to the winds,” Mr Salve said, adding that he was given a lawyer only as the trial was about to end.
Arguing that Mr Jadhav was arrested from the restive Baluchistan province, where he was sent to carry out subversive activities, Pakistan accused India of using the world court as a “political theatre”.
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