Punjab-Haryana Bar Council Suspends Lawyer’s Licence For Harassing Landlord, Misrepresenting Himself As Banker
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The Bar Council has not revealed the lawyer’s name, but confirmed that the decision was made following serious accusations brought forward by the 70-year-old landlord’s daughter-in-law.
The Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana (BCPH) has suspended the licence of a city-based lawyer for one year, after finding him guilty of professional misconduct. The Council took strict action based on a complaint that the lawyer had harassed his elderly landlord and misled the family about his true profession.
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According to the complaint, the lawyer had misrepresented himself as a banker at the time of renting the house. However, he was later found to be a practising advocate.
“As per complaint, the lawyer initially misrepresented himself as a banker but was later found to be a practising advocate.”
The Bar Council has not revealed the lawyer’s name, but confirmed that the decision was made following serious accusations brought forward by the 70-year-old landlord’s daughter-in-law.
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The complaint stated that the lawyer did not pay rent regularly, harassed the senior citizen, and even demanded money to vacate the property. In addition, the lawyer allegedly filed false criminal complaints against the landlord’s family to put pressure on them.
The BCPH mentioned that the advocate was proceeded against ex parte—which means the decision was made in his absence—since he did not appear before the Council despite receiving multiple notices.
Due to the serious nature of the allegations and lack of cooperation, the Bar Council suspended his legal licence for one year.
“Professional misconduct, With this decision, he is debarred from appearing in any court across India during the suspension period.”
This means the lawyer cannot practice law or appear in any Indian court for the next 12 months.
The disciplinary action was based on the Supreme Court’s judgment in N G Dastane vs S S Shivde (AIR 2001 SC 202), which sets a precedent on professional ethics.
According to the Bar Council, Sharma’s behaviour included serious ethical violations, and his actions were found to be “detrimental to the profession’s dignity.”
Citing the Supreme Court’s ruling in N G Dastane vs S S Shivde (AIR 2001 SC 202), the Bar Council concluded that Sharma’s actions amounted to “serious ethical violations, including misrepresentation, abuse of legal knowledge, and conduct detrimental to the profession’s dignity.”
Although Sharma was found guilty of misconduct, the Bar Council showed leniency because he is still in the early stages of his legal career. Taking this into consideration, the Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend his licence for one year instead of striking his name off the advocates’ roll permanently.
During this suspension period, Sharma will be prohibited from appearing in any court across the country and must immediately surrender his Advocate ID card and licence to the Bar Council.
“…the case against the respondent is fully proved that he is guilty of misconduct who has misused his status as an advocate which gives bad name to the entire legal profession and the Bar Council/Disciplinary Committee cannot be a mute spectator and shut its eyes for such grave misconduct. Therefore, keeping in view the age and starting of career by the respondent although his name is liable to be removed from the roll of Advocate permanently but we are of this view that the license of respondent be suspended with immediate effect for a period of one year from the date of notification…The respondent is hereby debarred from appearing in any court of law throughout India…,”
