New Delhi, September 23 (IANS) The Supreme Court has upheld a three -year suspension of a lawyer with a lawyer’s exercise to make a condemnable allegation against a female complainant.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Joymlya Bagchi rejected the statutory appeal filed by advocate Manoj Kumar Sharma and refused to give them any relief.
The apex court was hearing a statutory appeal against the BCI’s December 2023 order, blaming the appellant Sharma for professional misconduct and suspended from the role of advocates for three years.
A bench, led by Justice Surya Kant, noticed that the lawyer had indulged in “serious misconduct”, which did not make any generosity from the apex court.
“In relation to the serious misconduct made by the appellant-period, who seems to be a stubborn character in making a condemnable allegation against the defendant-complainant, we do not want to take any liberal view. The appeal is rejected accordingly with a cost of Rs 1 lakh,” ordered.
The bench not only confirmed the suspension, but also directed to recover the costs from Sharma.
“Collector, Agra, is directed to attach the qualities of the appellant for recovery of the cost amount, which will be paid to the defendant (Priyanka Bansal) as compensation within a period of three months,” this ordered.
Additionally, the Supreme Court asked the BCI not to renew Sharma’s license without its prior permission and submit a compliance report on the completion of its suspension period.
The apex court ordered, “The Bar Council is directed not to renew the license of the appellant without the prior permission of this court. It is further directed that a report in that regard would be supplied to the General Secretary of this court after the appellant passed it already.”
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PDS/VD