Salem advocate asked to apologise to bar council

Chennai: The Madras high court has directed a Salem-based advocate V.Madhesh, placed under interim suspension for misconduct by special committee, Bar Council of Tamil Nadu, to regret for his acts and tender his apology to the ad hoc committee members in person.

Passing orders on a petition filed by Madhesh, challenging his interim suspension, Justice N.Kirubakaran gave the above directive and said Madhesh shall file an affidavit tendering his apology to the ad hoc committee as well as Bar Council. The order directing the petitioner to surrender the enrollment certificate and ID, need not be precipitated. Based on the affidavit filed by the petitioner, the special committee, Bar Council of Tamil Nadu is directed to pass appropriate orders within two days, the judge added.

After hearing senior counsel R.Gandhi, for the petitioner and J.Pothiraj, counsel for special committee, Bar Council of Tamil Nadu, the judge said though many allegations are being raised against each other, this court is not inclined to look into the same. The special committee passed an order on January 19, 2019,  subjecting the petitioner to the disciplinary proceedings under section 35 (1) of Advocates Act and explanation has been called for from the petitioner.

Thereafter, the ad hoc committee, which has been appointed by the special committee to conduct the election of the Salem Bar Association complained to the special committee about certain acts of misdeeds or deviant behaviour by the petitioner. After perusing the records, the special committee placed the petitioner under interim suspension, as per the division bench judgments of this court. The said order is being challenged before this court, the judge added.

The judge said, "The petitioner, who is a practising advocate for eight years appeared before this court and regretted  his behaviour and he also undertakes not to repeat his misconduct. Since the allegation against the petitioner is deviant behaviour inside and outside the Bar Association, especially, with the ad hoc committee members, who are all respected senior members of the Salem Bar Association, in the interest of justice", the court passed the above directions, the judge added.