Srinivasen Pillay will represent himself in an alleged $1.3-million fraud case involving clients’ funds.

Srinivasen Pillay will represent himself in an alleged $1.3-million fraud case involving clients’ funds.Mr. Pillay, who was arraigned Thursday in Halifax provincial court, told Judge Marc Chisholm that he would not be hiring a lawyer.
On July 23, Halifax Regional Police laid 105 criminal charges of fraud over $5,000, theft over $5,000 and breach of trust against Mr. Pillay. He asked Thursday that the charges against him not be read in court.Crown attorney Andrew Macdonald asked the judge to adjourn the case until Sept. 26 to allow Mr. Pillay time to review the Crown’s evidence against him. The Crown’s disclosure documents will not be available until next week.The Crown alleges that between March 2000 and February 2005, Mr. Pillay, 50, misappropriated and converted client trust funds for his personal use, sometimes using money from some clients to cover shortfalls in the accounts of others.He is free on a $50,000 bond with orders not to gamble or go to any casinos. His mother has posted her home as surety.Mr. Pillay was disbarred May 5, 2005, after the disciplinary committee of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society’s found him guilty of stealing $1.3 million from the trust funds of 14 clients. The society compensated clients for the loss.