Seetharama Shetty, senior advocate, passes away at 85

MANGALURU: Senior advocate Munchirabettu Seetharama Shetty passed away here on Thursday. He was 85.
A graduate of Udupi Law College, Shetty joined as a junior trainee 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.
He started his career as a junior under Kallige Mahabala Bhandary at Kasaragod. He appeared in a number of cases in Mangaluru, Kasaragod and Thalassery district courts. Shetty started independent practice in Mangaluru in 1967, specialising on the criminal side, operating from his law chamber at Pailands Building, Hampankatta.
His expertise saw him conduct special cases including appearing as special prosecutor in CBI cases in Mandya. He appeared for the government in an inquiry into firing on farmers at Kunigal, and he 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.
He served as president of Mangalore Bar Association and District Bar Association of erstwhile undivided Dakshina Kannada district. He was also elected a member of the Karnataka State Bar Council multiple times.
Shetty also left his legacy behind in training many juniors as advocates. They include minister U T Khader, MLC Ivan D’Souza, Moose Kunhi Nayarmoole, Prakash Kumar and Haleema. Of these, the last three served as judges. Both Ivan D’Souza and UT Khader have condoled the death of their illustrious senior.
Shetty is survived by wife Vasanthi and children Manoj and Mallika.