Career

Chaudhry is best-known as the son of Mahendra Chaudhry, leader of the Fiji Labour Party

Fiji Labour Party

The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...

 who was deposed as Prime Minister in the Fiji coup of 2000

Fiji coup of 2000

The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of a non-native Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and...

. Rajendra Chaudhry, who was his father's personal secretary at the time, was kidnapped along with most of his father's government and held as a hostage for 56 days by gunmen connected with George Speight

George Speight

George Speight , occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini, was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000...

, the instigator of the coup.

Chaudhry was admitted to the bar as a lawyer on 30 September 2005, by Chief Justice

Chief Justice (Fiji)

The Chief Justice is Fiji's highest judicial officer. He or she is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, who is required by the Constitution to consult the Leader of the Opposition. This does not give the Leader of the Opposition a veto, only the right to be consulted. ...

 Daniel Fatiaki

Daniel Fatiaki

Taniela Vafo'ou Fatiaki CF was the Chief Justice of Fiji from 1 August 2002, when he succeeded Sir Timoci Tuivaga, till 5 December 2008. As Chief Justice, he presided over both the High Court and the Supreme Court, but is constitutionally barred from presiding over, or even sitting on, the...

. He has since become a partner with Rajesh Gordon of Gordon and Company in Lautoka

Lautoka

Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...

. Chaudhry maintains the Suva office under the trading name of Gordon & Chaudhry Lawyers. He has since appeared in several high profile cases with the most prominent being the writ by the Opposition Leader against the Prime Minister for defamation. He also acts pro bono for many of his clients who cannot afford legal representation.

On 27 December 2005, the Fiji Live

Fiji Live

Fijilive is an online newspaper and business and cultural directory in Fiji. The site is owned by the Future Group of Companies owned by Fiji entrepreneur Yashwant Gaunder....

 news service quoted Chaudhry as saying that he would stand for parliamentary elections if endorsed by the Fiji Labour Party in the general election

Fiji election of 2006

The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The latest election was held on 6-13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March, effective from 27 March, dissolving Parliament...

 scheduled for 2006.

Controversies

On 15 August 2005, Chaudhry announced that he was suing the government for F$500,000

Fijian dollar

The dollar has been the currency of Fiji since 1969 and was also the currency between 1867 and 1873. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively FJ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...

 for the loss of superannuation, income, and future earnings, what he says was caused by military and police negligence. The security forces, he alleges, knew that a coup was likely and did nothing to prevent it. "As a result of their negligence, I had to endure physical torture and psychological trauma and am seeking compensation for these and related matters," he said.

On 13 September 2005, police announced that they were investigating a complaint against Chaudhry made by Lalesh Shankar, an employee of the ruling United Fiji Party (SDL). Shankar claimed that Chaudhry had verbally abused him. Chaudhry denied this, saying that what really happened was that a friend who had accompanied him had asked Shankar, an Indo-Fijian, how he could work for a party that was so anti Indian and racist in its policies. According to Chaudhry, Shankar had demanded an apology, and had called the police when his friend refused. Chaudhry himself had not been personally involved, he said.

On 24 January 2007, Chaudhry attacked the leadership of the Fiji Law Society

Fiji Law Society

The Fiji Law Society is the official body that registers and regulates the activity of all lawyers in Fiji. Devanesh Sharma was elected to replace Graeme Leung as President of the Fiji Law Society on 9 September 2006, and as such he holds membership ex officio on the Judicial Service Commission...

 (FLS) on Fiji Television

Fiji Television

Fiji Television Limited is Fiji's television network. It was founded on 15 June 1994 as the first permanent television broadcasting network in the country, although television had previously been introduced temporarily in October 1991 to broadcast the Rugby World Cup as well as Cricket World Cup....

. He said he was unhappy with the stance of the FLS President Devanesh Sharma

Devanesh Sharma

Devanesh Sharma is a Fijian lawyer of Indian descent. He was the president of the Fiji Law Society for one year. In his capacity as president of the law society, he made many comments on the proceedings of the interim Government, led by Frank Bainimarama, and how the society did not agree with what...

 and Vice-President Tupou Draunidalo

Tupou Draunidalo

Tupou Draunidalo is a Fijian lawyer. On 9 September 2006, she was elected Vice-President of the Fiji Law Society, defeating Rajesh Gordon. -Political activism and arrest:...

, and claimed that their strong condemnation of the military coup

2006 Fijian coup d'état

The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....

 of 5 December 2006 and of the interim government that was formed the following month were personal statements that had been made purportedly on behalf of the FLS, without consulting its members. Chaudhry announced that he was attempting to call an emergency meeting to deal with the issue. If his grievances were not met, he threatened the formation of an alternative organization to represent Fiji's lawyers. http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=11766

The next day, Draunidalo announced that Sharma had called a special meeting to "crush" internal opposition to their stand against the interim government http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2007/01/25/25fijilive02.html.

On 26 January, Chaudhry announced his intention to sue

Lawsuit

A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...

 the FLS, after receiving a letter from the Society threatening to suspend his conditional legal practicing certificate for allegedly breaching its terms, because he and his legal partner did not share an office. That matter was before the court, however, and had been since December 2006, he claimed. He accused the leadership of the FLS of having an agenda against him, and reiterated his call for the establishment of an alternative organization. http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2007/01/26/26fijilive06.html

Board appointment

On 27 January 2007, interim Sports Minister

Cabinet (Fiji)

Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is formally appointed, but not chosen, by the President: the President must appoint as Prime...

 Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi

Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi

Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi, is a Fijian politician of Indian descent. He was one of the youngest members to be elected into Parliament in 1992. He has represented the Nadroga Indian Communal Constituency, which he won for the Fiji Labour Party in the parliamentary elections of 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, and...

 appointed Chaudhry to the board of the interim Sports Council.

http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_35432.shtml