While President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have recently begun calling for a national dialogue regarding racism in the criminal justice system, the United States Attorney’s Office for Nevada, headed by Daniel Bogden, has come under fierce criticism from Dr. Vinay Bararia’s high-powered legal team. 

According to recent Court filings, Dr. Bararia’s lawyers, former federal prosecutor Kathleen Bliss and famed Michael Jackson criminal defense attorney Thomas Mesereau, have accused the federal government of inappropriately naming the investigation of Dr. Bararia “Operation Slumdog Billionaire,” an apparent reference to the Hollywood movie about street children in India. 

According to Dr. Bararia’s lawyers, the government engaged in other forms of misconduct such as allegedly telling his wife, Bhavna Bararia, that her husband “would not be able to see [her] unborn child till he was an adult.”  When Mrs. Bararia requested an attorney, federal agents allegedly told her that “would get her and Dr. Bararia into more trouble.”  The papers filed by Dr. Bararia’s attorneys request that the federal court suppress evidence seized from Dr. Bararia’s home and dismiss the case against him.  According to the defense lawyers Bliss and Messereau, federal agents seized Dr. Bararia’s “children’s piggy banks” and money from a “prayer donation box.”  Dr. Bararia and his wife are Hindus.   

In another interesting allegation contained in the court papers, Dr. Bararia’s lawyers allege that the federal government improperly taped conversations between attorney Farhan Naqvi, Esq. and Dr. Bararia.  Although the government has not alleged any wrongdoing on the part of attorney Naqvi, the federal government apparently taped conversations between the lawyer and the doctor for some unknown and undisclosed reasons. 

The saga involving Dr. Bararia continues and apparently will involve a showdown between Dr. Bararia’s high-powered lawyers and US Attorney Daniel Bogden.  Bogden, who was forced to tender his resignation by President George Bush, was reappointed by President Obama based upon the urging and recommendation of Senator Harry Reid.