Advocate Suspended for 3 Years over Scandalous Allegations; SC Orders Agra Collector To Attach Properties To Recover Rs1 Lakh Compensation

Moneylife Digital Team 25 September 2025

Economy & Nation

While dismissing an appeal of advocate Manoj Kumar Sharma against disciplinary action imposed by the Bar Council of India (BCI), upholding his suspension for three years on charges of professional misconduct, the Supreme Court directed attachment of his properties to ensure recovery of Rs1 lakh compensation payable to the complainant, Priyanka Bansal.

In the order, a bench comprising justice Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi says, “Having regard to the serious misconduct carried out by the advocate, who appears to be an obstinate character in making scandalous allegations against the complainant, we do not want to take any lenient view. The appeal is accordingly dismissed with a cost of Rs1 lakh.”

The case originated from a 19 December 2023 order of the BCI, which had found advocate Sharma guilty of misconduct for making scandalous allegations against Ms Bansal. The Council suspended his licence to practice for three years. Challenging this decision, Adv Sharma approached the Supreme Court through a statutory appeal.

Rejecting his plea for leniency, the court concluded that no indulgence could be shown in such matters, especially given the high ethical standards demanded of the legal profession.

The appeal was dismissed with exemplary costs of Rs1 lakh which the court ordered to be paid as compensation to the complainant, Ms Bansal. To ensure compliance, the court directed the collector, Agra, to attach Adv Sharma’s properties for recovery of the amount within three months.

In addition to affirming the suspension and imposing costs, the Court issued strict directions regarding Adv Sharma’s right to practice law in the future. The order explicitly barred the Bar Council from renewing his licence without the prior permission of the Supreme Court. It further required that after Adv Sharma undergoes the three-year suspension, a compliance report be submitted to the secretary general of the Supreme Court, confirming completion of the disciplinary sentence.

In a related matter, the Supreme Court also directed the central bureau of investigation (CBI) to conduct a probe into allegations that Adv Sharma’s B Com (honours) degree from Magadh University, Bodh Gaya was forged. The Court noted that conflicting claims had arisen regarding the authenticity of the degree purportedly obtained in 1991. The CBI director has been instructed to appoint an officer to verify the genuineness of the degree and submit a report by 30 November 2025.

“Be that as it may, as an issue regarding veracity of a degree has arisen, we deem it appropriate to require the CBI to do the investigation and ascertain whether the degree set up by the petitioner of having passed the B Com examination from Magadh University in the year 1991 is genuine or forged,” the Court said in its order.

With these directions, the apex court not only upheld strict professional discipline against the advocate but also opened the door for a deeper probe into allegations surrounding his educational qualifications.

The dual developments—the dismissal of the statutory appeal and the referral of degree forgery allegations to the CBI—mark a significant step in ensuring accountability within the legal profession. The orders reinforce the principle that advocates, as officers of the court, must adhere to the highest standards of integrity, and deviations will attract serious consequences.

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