Joshiba Dev Viral Video: Bengaluru Lawyer Explains Why She Refused To Sue a Friend Who Owes Her INR 5 Lakh
Bengaluru lawyer Joshiba Dev sparked an online debate after deciding not to sue a friend who owes her INR 5 lakh. Despite the friend challenging her to go to court, Dev cited India's judicial backlog of 49 million cases, a 3-year timeline, the hard burden of proving assets, and the risk of debtor insolvency as reasons why litigation isn't worth it.
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A Bengaluru-based lawyer has sparked a widespread online discussion after publicly explaining her decision not to take legal action against a friend who reportedly owes her INR 5 lakh. Despite her professional background, advocate Joshiba Dev stated that the prolonged timeline of civil litigation, combined with the lack of any guaranteed financial recovery, prompted her to treat the unpaid debt as a personal lesson rather than a court battle.
The Ultimatum and Financial Strain
The dispute arose after Dev requested the return of the borrowed funds from her friend. Rather than cooperating, the individual allegedly issued a direct challenge, refusing to repay the amount and telling her to seek a legal remedy instead. Bulandshahr Viral Video: Monkey Steals Lawyer’s Bag Carrying INR 2 Lakh, Rains INR 500 Notes From Tree Outside Court.
Even as a Lawyer I'm Not Going To File the Case, Says Joshiba Dev
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“A friend who owes me five lakh rupees said to my face that hey go file a case, go to the court, I am not going to give your money back,” Dev recounted in a video shared on her Instagram account. Acknowledging the complexities of personal finance, Dev noted that while the borrower might be experiencing economic hardships, she was simultaneously balancing her own financial obligations. “I understand that probably he said this because he is in a really tough situation but listen, I am in a tough situation too and I am asking for my own money,” she explained.
The Reality of Legal Recovery
Dev explained that her decision to abstain from a lawsuit was guided heavily by her internal familiarity with the judicial system. She highlighted that securing a favourable decree from a judge does not automatically translate into an immediate transfer of funds, especially if the debtor is insolvent. “I was deciding if I should file a case against him or not. Then I decided I am not going to file a case,” Dev stated. She pointed out that a standard recovery suit could easily span three years, during which the borrower's financial status could deteriorate completely. “And say at the end of the third year the judgment is passed in my favour where he has to pay me the money but what if his situation is still the same? What if he is still bankrupt? What if his condition has not improved at all and he files for insolvency?” she added.
Dev added that the legal burden of proof remains an extensive hurdle for plaintiffs. Under civil procedures, the lender must proactively uncover evidence of the debtor's hidden assets or lifestyle indicators. “The worst part is I would have to be the one proving that you know he has these kinds of investments, houses here and there, he goes on vacation. How do I get that data? It’s too much work to get this data,” she noted.
Judicial Backlog Weighs on Decision
Ultimately, Dev concluded that the financial threshold of the dispute did not justify the emotional and transactional costs of entering an overburdened legal system. She indicated that litigation becomes more practical only when the principal amount is high enough to cushion the inevitable losses incurred during the process. “Even as a lawyer I’m not going to file the case, if it was more than 10lakhs filing a case would have made sense cause I can at least retrieve 5 lakhs from him. To go through so much just to probably retrieve 2.5lakhs. No thanks," Dev wrote in her video's caption.
Highlighting institutional constraints, she added, "49 million cases are pending in court. Fighting for this amount is not worth it. Not sure if Karma works or not. But I’ll leave it at that.” Moving forward, Dev stated she would modify her personal lending habits, choosing only to advance money to friends if she is entirely prepared to absorb the potential financial loss.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2026 06:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
