The Court has imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh for initiating bogus and malicious disciplinary proceedings against advocates, terming such actions as malicious prosecution.
Bar Council member Adv. Aashish Deshmukh, who even went to the extent of signing a false press note against activist Rashid Khan Pathan, has faced the music. He was severely reprimanded by the Supreme Court in its order dated 24.09.2025 in the case of Adv. Rajeev Narula, which also included the imposition of costs.
The forgery scandal involving Adv. Sudeep Pasbola and Bar Council Secretary Sharad Bagul has also been exposed.
The Supreme Court of India has delivered a resounding blow to the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, exposing its arbitrary, corrupt, and criminal-minded functioning. In order to escape ongoing disciplinary proceedings against him, Pasbola conspired with Bagul and others to fabricate false Bar Council resolutions and forged minutes of meetings. However, the forgery was exposed when original records and digital proofs came to light.
On the basis of these proofs, Adv. Partho Sarkar has filed a criminal perjury petition under Section 379 of BNSS (2023) seeking prosecution of Pasbola and his co-accused under IPC Sections 192, 193, 199, 200, 209, 218, 409, 466, 471, 474, 120(B), 34, 107, and 109 — serious offences punishable with imprisonment extending to life.
New Delhi:-
“Hum Kare So Kaida” Attitude of Corrupt BCMG Members Crushed: Supreme Court’s Stern Directions
Some arrogant and criminal-minded Bar Council members who had long refused to comply with the law and directions of the Supreme Court — functioning under the arrogant attitude of “Hum Kare So Kaida” (whatever we do is law) — have finally received a judicial blow.
For years, certain corrupt members of the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa systematically misused their authority — initiating bogus disciplinary actions against junior and upright advocates, while deliberately suppressing or burying genuine cases against guilty and influential advocates. Their misconduct extended to issuing backdated orders, fabricating false resolutions, and using the disciplinary machinery as a tool for extortion. Upright and aspiring lawyers were harassed, intimidated, and financially exploited, while corrupt and criminal-minded lawyers were shielded. These long-standing malpractices have now been fully exposed.
Penalty Must Be Borne Personally By Guilty Members
The Supreme Court has issued categorical directions that any penalty imposed must be deposited directly with the High Court Registry, which will then ensure that the concerned victim advocate receives compensation.
In Directions in the Matter of Demolition of Structures, In re, (2025) 5 SCC 1, the Court reiterated that fines must be recovered from the guilty public servants themselves. Applied here, this means that guilty Bar Council members — not the institution — must personally bear the cost of their misconduct.
The Bar Council’s funds are the trust money of lawyers and the public, and the burden of corrupt acts by guilty members cannot be shifted onto innocent lawyers or citizens. If any member has harassed an advocate through false or bogus proceedings, liability to compensate will rest squarely on that member.
A Landmark Precedent
Importantly, this ruling is not limited to one incident but will serve as a binding precedent and lesson for Bar Council members across the country.
As a result:
1. Upright advocates will gain confidence to fight against injustice.
2. Guilty members will be compelled to directly bear the cost of their misconduct.
3. Arbitrary actions in the future will be curbed.
This decision is being hailed as a victory of both justice and accountability.
Countdown For Corrupt Members
The Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court, in multiple rulings, have strongly reprimanded corrupt Bar Council members, thereby clearing the path for cancellation of their licenses (Sanad).
Reliable information suggests that some of these members are likely to face imprisonment soon, marking a decisive step towards cleansing the legal profession of corruption.
Consequences of Supreme Court’s Findings
On the basis of the Court’s findings, the following consequences are now likely:
- Disciplinary Proceedings: Under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961, guilty members face permanent removal from the rolls of advocates.
- Criminal Prosecution: Offences under IPC Sections 166, 219, 220, and 409 are expected to be initiated against corrupt Bar Council members.
⚖️ The message is loud and clear: The days of corrupt, arrogant, and criminal-minded Bar Council members misusing their positions are numbered. The various judgments of Supreme Court and Bombay High Court have made a law clear that the law will not spare those who treat the Bar Council as their personal fiefdom.
Forged Bar Council Records Exposed: Criminal Case of Forgery & Perjury Filed Against Member Adv. Sudeep Pasbola
Disciplinary proceedings under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961 are currently underway before a committee headed by Adv. Sangram Desai at the Bar Council of Mumbai. The inquiry concerns a complaint filed by complainant Adv. Partho Sarkar against Adv. Sudeep Pasbola, a member of the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa, relating to the proposed cancellation of his license.
In a bid to escape disciplinary action, Pasbola, in collusion with Secretary Sharad Bagul and other co accused members, allegedly fabricated Bar Council records — including forged resolutions and falsified minutes of meetings — and submitted these forged documents on affidavit before the committee.
The exposure of this forgery has now transformed the matter from a disciplinary inquiry into a serious criminal case involving charges of forgery and perjury.
The conspiracy came to light when conscientious members of the Bar Council provided complainants with original records, genuine resolutions, and other confidential material. Acting on this evidence, Adv. Partho Sarkar has filed a criminal petition under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS-2023), seeking prosecution of Pasbola and Bagul.
The petition cites multiple provisions of the IPC/BNS — Sections 191, 192, 193, 209, 409, 465, 466, 471, 474, 109, 107, 120(B), and 34 — offences carrying punishments extending up to life imprisonment. What began as a disciplinary case has now escalated into a full-fledged criminal prosecution.
This is not the first time the Bar Council has faced strict judicial scrutiny. The Bombay High Court, in An Advocate v. Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa (2025 SCC OnLine Bom 163), pulled up the Council for misusing its machinery by issuing backdated disciplinary orders to harass a woman advocate, and ruled in her favour.
Similarly, in the case of Adv. Rajeev Narula, Bar Council member Adv. Ashish Deshmukh was found guilty of illegally passing an order that harassed the advocate. The Supreme Court, by its order dated 24.09.2025 [2025 INSC 1147], strongly criticised Deshmukh and directed the Bar Council to pay ₹1 lakh in compensation to the aggrieved lawyer.
Countdown Begins for Corrupt Bar Council Members as Clean-Up Drive Gains Momentum
Major developments have unfolded in the ongoing battle against corruption in the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa. A group of advocates and activists — Adv. Partho Sarkar, Rashid Khan Pathan, Adv. Vijay Kurle, Adv. Vivek Ramteke, Adv. Nilesh Ojha, Adv. Ishwarlal Agarwal, and Adv. Tanveer Nizam — have openly challenged the corrupt nexus within the Council.
Their fight has now gathered strong support from young and aspiring lawyers, vigilant citizens, conscientious Bar Council members, and even upright forces within the judiciary. What began as an individual struggle is now shaping up into the beginning of a judicial revolution aimed at cleansing the system.
Investigations have revealed that for several years a racket inside the Bar Council has been systematically harassing upright lawyers by slapping them with bogus disciplinary cases to extort money, while shielding corrupt and criminal-minded advocates from action.
With honest members stepping forward and exposing these malpractices, the countdown for corrupt Bar Council members has truly begun. According to reliable sources, some of the accused members may soon face imprisonment, marking a turning point in the fight for integrity in the legal profession.
