Think like advocate who is accused of.....
bharat khatwani
(Querist) 23 August 2024
This query is : Open
I am going to lodge complaint against advocate in bar council.Read draft,act like accused advocate and present your defence,it will help me in improve my draft. To: The Chairman, Bar Council of India
21 Rouse Avenue, Institutional Area,
Near Bal Bhawan, New Delhi - 110002
Date: [Insert Date]
Subject: Formal Complaint and Request for Disciplinary Action Against Advocate [Advocate Name] for Professional Misconduct
Respected Chairman and Members of the Bar Council,
I, ********, hereby lodge a formal complaint against Advocate [Advocate Name] for serious professional misconduct. I request urgent intervention from the Bar Council to uphold the dignity and integrity of the legal profession.
1. Context of the Complaint:
In 1978, my father rented out a house located in the ******* area, to Mr. ******. As per the agreement (compromise) reached in court, the rent was fixed at ₹300 per month, and the tenant was responsible for any future increases in municipal taxes. However, the agreement mistakenly omitted mentioning the Mehsul Tax. To address this, it was mutually agreed that the tenant would pay municipal taxes, while my father, the landlord, would be responsible for Mehsul Tax. This arrangement continued even after my father's passing. Legal notice sent to me also confirms that rent was 300 + municipal taxes.In 2019, to curb my tenant's habit of late payments and frequent demands for money for repairs, I requested him to start paying rent by cheque. Unfortunately, even this approach didn't lead to any improvement. My bank passbook confirms that he hasn't sent any cheques since the one for ₹3600 in January 2019.
On July 2nd, 2023, the tenant visited me and claimed to have spent money on installing new sewage and water pipelines. He also demanded rent receipts for the money spent by him but failed to provide any supporting bills or vouchers. Although this demand was not in line with the Rent Act and he hadn't sought my permission before incurring this expense, I still requested him to present the bills/vouchers and a copy of the application submitted to the Municipal Corporation for the new connections.This request apparently upset him, and he sent a letter dated August 11th, 2023, along with a cheque for ₹3600. In the letter, he vaguely mentioned filling a large cavity measuring 10' x 5' x 6' deep, but again, without any documentation. He also demanded that I undertake major repairs, claiming the house was unsafe to live in. Additionally, he tried to pressure me by stating that I would be held personally responsible for any fatality.Since the occurrence of a cavity in a pucca (well-built) house is highly unusual, I requested him, on September 10th, 2023, to provide details of the pipe installation (which he omitted in his letter) to help identify the cause of the cavity. An abnormally large cavity has the potential to cause significant damage to the structure, so this information was necessary.On [Insert Date], I received a legal notice from Advocate [Advocate Name], filled with falsehoods and baseless allegations. These include exorbitant repair costs, fabricated claims regarding rent deposits without receipts, and other unsubstantiated assertions. Below are the specifics of these spurious claims and my refutations:2. Specific Allegations of Professional Misconduct:
2.1 Inclusion of Time-Barred Claims:
The notice asserts that the tenant incurred expenses of Rs. 4,00,000/- on renovations in 1999, based on an alleged oral agreement with my late father. These claims are clearly barred by the Limitation Act, 1963, and lack any legal standing.
2.2 Pushing Unsubstantiated Claims:
The legal notice introduces claims never previously mentioned, including in a letter dated 10th August 2023, which predates the notice. No evidence or documentation has been provided to substantiate these new allegations.
2.3 Ignoring Contradictory Conduct of the Tenant:
Despite the alleged oral agreement, the tenant continued to pay rent without dispute for 24 years, which inherently contradicts the current claims.
2.4 Suspicious Timing:
The tenant purportedly undertook repairs without my knowledge or consent. Following my letter dated 10th September 2023 raising concerns, a legal notice was strategically issued to undermine my position.
2.5 False Claim of Rent Deposit:
The notice falsely alleges that the tenant deposited rent into my bank account without receiving receipts. This claim is unsubstantiated and contradicts the tenant’s earlier communication dated 10th August 2023.
3. Evidence of Fabrication and Misconduct:
A thorough review of all prior correspondence, including letters, emails, SMS, and other forms of communication, reveals no reference to these claims. This strongly indicates that the allegations were concocted as an afterthought to avoid addressing the legitimate issues I raised.
4. Deliberate and Malicious Conduct by Advocate [Advocate Name]:
Despite my detailed and comprehensive response refuting these baseless claims, Advocate [Advocate Name] persists in maintaining these falsehoods. This conduct is a clear attempt to obfuscate the truth and unjustly prolong legal proceedings.
Such behavior constitutes a grave violation of the professional conduct rules established by the Bar Council of India, specifically:
Rule 4: Advocates are duty-bound to refuse to act in any manner that is illegal towards the opposition.
Rule 5: Advocates must not represent clients who insist on using unfair means.
5. Broader Implications of Such Misconduct:
This is not an isolated incident. It reflects a concerning pattern where some advocates exploit legal loopholes to harass and intimidate individuals. Such conduct erodes public trust in the legal profession and undermines the rule of law.
6. Impact on the Complainant:
The unethical actions of Advocate [Advocate Name] have caused me immense emotional distress and financial hardship. The constant threat of baseless litigation has led to anxiety, sleepless nights, and unwarranted legal expenses.
7. Prayer:
In light of the above, I humbly request the Bar Council of India to:
Initiate a thorough investigation into the professional misconduct of Advocate [Advocate Name].
Impose appropriate disciplinary measures to deter such unethical practices in the future.
Implement systemic reforms to address the broader issues that enable such misconduct, including stricter oversight and clear guidelines for verifying claims made in legal notices.
Mandate that courts report any advocate misconduct to the Bar Council for immediate action.
8. Conclusion:
I trust that the Bar Council will take prompt and decisive action to uphold the sanctity of the legal profession and restore public confidence in our justice system.
Thank you for your consideration and anticipated action.
Yours sincerely,
*******
bharat khatwani
(Querist) 23 August 2024
it will help me in improving my draft...typo
T. Kalaiselvan, Advocate
(Expert) 23 August 2024
You can contact any experienced lawyer in the local and take his assistance to standardize your complaint in the manner that would be legally valid.
bharat khatwani
(Querist) 24 August 2024
This draft is a work in progress. I have learned that the Bar Council has not penalized any advocate for violating Rule 4 and 5 of the conduct rules. Does this mean that all advocates are ethical? Or does it suggest that the Bar Council is a toothless tiger? I don’t know the answers to these questions, but I am aware that this will be a challenging task.
Please help me understand the potential defense that the advocate might present when faced with these charges, so that I can prepare for all possible eventualities. By the way, my draft has been refined by an advocate and approved by the Principal of Law College. Before finalizing it, I plan to present my case before a panel legal clinic of law school experts to gain practical insights.
bharat khatwani
(Querist) 27 August 2024
Dear Mr.T.Kalaiselvan sir
I am writing to seek your esteemed opinion on the potential defenses that could be raised by the advocate against whom I am lodging a complaint with the Bar Council. Specifically, I am interested in understanding:
Possible Defenses: What possible defenses might the accused advocate present in response to the complaint? I would appreciate your insight into any common strategies or arguments that might be employed.
Advocate’s Own Defense: If you have any direct knowledge or insights regarding the defenses this particular advocate might raise, please share them. Do you foresee any specific arguments or tactics they might use to counter the claims made against them?
Your guidance on these points will be invaluable as I prepare to address the complaint comprehensively.
Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to your response.
bharat khatwani
(Querist) 28 August 2024
Bumping this thread for more opinions
