Abha Singh

Abha Singh
Abha Singh Attending an event organized by her NGO, Rann-Samar
Nationality Indian
Occupation Lawyer
Spouse(s) Yogesh Pratap Singh

Abha Singh is a former civil servant and an advocate practicing currently in the High Court of Judicature at Bombay. She is also a renowned social activist and has contributed considerably in the realm of women's rights, gender equality and Justice.She is married to Yogesh Pratap Singh, who formerly was an officer in Indian Police force and currently serves as a lawyer in Bombay High Court. Her father too was a gallantry award-winning police officer.

She has been an active participant in the accusation of Bollywood actor, Salman Khan,[1] in hit and run case and the AIB Roast case.

She also runs an NGO by the name, Rann-Samar, through which she provides free legal assistance to helpless women and slum dwellers who have been unfairly persecuted by local authorities and builders for land that is rightfully theirs.

Education

Abha Singh did her schooling from Loreto Convent, Lucknow and her graduation from Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow, registering herself as the topper of her batch. She has done an M.Phil on Child Rights from Jawahal Lal Nehru University, New Delhi and her LL.B. from Mumbai University. In 1994 she cleared the UPSC examination and joined the Indian Postal Service.[2]

One of her primary influences was her mother who had the unique distinction of being the first woman from her village to attain Post-Graduation in 1961 from Allahabad University.

Career

Abha Singh started her career as a customs appraiser in Bombay custom house in 1991 and remained there till 1994. Then, she joined the Indian Postal Service and later started her practice as a lawyer in the Bombay High Court.

In Indian Postal Service

Abha Singh joined the Indian Postal Service in 1995. During her stint as Director Postal Services in Uttar Pradesh she pioneered the usage of solar panels to power post offices – thereby making advanced postal services accessible to the remotest of villages. One little post office in Gauriganj village came on the national stage when the president of Indian National Congress, Rahul Gandhi himself came to inaugurate it. It gave an impetus to harness solar energy in places where electricity is scarce.

As a Lawyer

Abha Singh, often regarded as the bluntest lawyer in Bombay, has been a part of some of the major celebrity cases as well as social cases in India. Some of the notable cases that she had participated in as a lawyer are -

  1. When Justice Markanday Katju, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Press Council of India wrote to the governor of Maharashtra asking him to pardon Sanjay Dutt for his involvement in the 1993 bomb blasts. She was the first to bring to the notice of the public that he was exerting undue influence and wrote to the governor rebutting his flawed assertions.[3][4][5]
  2. She was responsible for highlighting the Zaibunissa Kazi’s case.[6]
  3. When the BMC gave notice to demolish the “Puncham Pyao” water fountain opposite Bombay Gymkhana she successfully fought for them and got a stay from the Court.
  4. Accused AIB for organizing AIB Knockout for spreading obscenity.[7]
  5. She has been pursuing the Salman Khan Hit-and-Run case consistently and is an active legal participant in the case.[8]

Rann-Samar Foundation

Abha Singh runs an NGO by the name Rann-Samar and through this foundation, she helps people who cannot afford legal assistance from professional lawyers. Through the Rann-Samar Foundation, Abha Singh helped in construction of toilets in rural areas.

Rann-Samar provides computer training to convicts of Lucknow Jail and Jaunpur Jail. Around 200 convicts have been trained in Lucknow Jail in a span of one year.

The foundation provides free legal aid to needy and poor people. It also organizes beautician courses for women convicts in Lucknow Jail.

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "'I enjoyed Dabangg'". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  2. ↑ indiainfoline.com. "Abha Singh, Director of Postal Services for Maharashtra & Goa resigns". Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  3. ↑ "Top lawyer Abha slams press council chief for defending Dutt in 1993 Mumbai blast case". Mail Online. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  4. ↑ "Advocate Abha Singh slams Katju for seeking pardon for Sanjay Dutt". Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  5. ↑ "Abha Singh urges Governor not to pardon Sanjay". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  6. ↑ "RPI activists protest outside Yerawada Jail over Sanjay Dutt's release on parole for a month | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  7. ↑ "AIB roast: Police register FIR against actors, complainant's lawyer says show was 'pre-scripted'". Firstpost. 2015-02-13. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  8. ↑ "Blackbuck poaching case: Why is Salman Khan keeping quiet if falsely implicated? Activist hits out at actor | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 2017-01-28. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
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