State Bar Council suspends 3 lawyers over misconduct

Close on the heels of the conviction of Madurai-based lawyer by the Madras High Court in connection with a contempt of court case, the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry have resolved to suspend three lawyers for their actions which were "unbecoming" of advocates.
With regard to the suspension of practice of Advocate S Sunil Kumar of Avadi, the Council in its order said his actions were "unbecoming" of an advocate and amounted to "professional misconduct," warranting action under Sec 35 of Advocates Act.
The advocate allegedly had in his possession 125 kgs of ganja which he admitted to have brought to hand over to a remand prisoner in Puzhal Jail.He had thrown to winds all the ethics to be maintained by an advocate, the Council observed and suspended him from practicing till the inquiry was over.

Advocate R Muthukrishnan, whom the Council has placed under suspension, in connection with the remarks made by him in the court against the Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.
The lawyer had alleged that the order delivered by the Chief Justice in connection with a case relating to compulsory helmet wearing rule was a "judicial overreach", demonstrating "unwarranted judicial activism".
After imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 on the advocate, the CJ had referred the matter to the Tamil Nadu Bar Council for appropriate action.

The Council had also suspended Advocate V Antony Jyothi Sheeran of Tiruvallur district for his alleged unruly behavior with a women CISF employee on November 20 last year.

The charge against Sheeran was that he, along with eight other advocates, including Abdul Rahman, RY George Williams and K Muthuramalingam, created a ruckus when a woman CISF personnel frisked a woman lawyer and another personnel in plain clothes and videographed the same.
All the three were prohibited from practicing as lawyers in any court of law, tribunals and other authorities either in their names or in any assumed names, throughout India, pending disposal of the disciplinary proceedings under Advocates Act.
The High Court had yesterday sentenced Madurai-based advocate Peter Ramesh to six months simple imprisonment in a contempt of court case.

However, the HC suspended the sentence for 15 days enabling him to go on appeal.