Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa initiates proceedings against Mumbai lawyer on PIL against sitting judge

The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG) has initiated suo motu disciplinary proceedings against Mumbai-based advocate Mursleen Shaikh for making frivolous allegations against a Bombay High Court judge in a PIL. Shaikh’s PIL filed in the Bombay High Court sought action against Justice Revati Mohite Dere with several allegations.

The BCMG resolved to initiate this inquiry against Shaikh for filing such a PIL despite being an advocate and having knowledge of the Judges Protection Act and the rules for filing PILs. The Bar Council, in a press note issued through its Secretary Advocate Praveen Ranpise, said, “The DC Inquiry Committee of 3 members has been constituted to conduct the inquiry as per Section 35 of the Advocates Act.”

Through a meeting held on 27 March, the BCMG condemned the filing of a “frivolous PIL making baseless and inflammatory allegations” against Justice Dere. It further condemned the making of such allegations which tantamount to defaming and sensationalizing the image of the judiciary and tarnishing the image of a sitting judge.

The BCMG also strongly condemned the recent trend of some elements trying to make such allegations viral on social media and get cheap and adverse publicity. Justice Dere was a public prosecutor in the Principal Bench of the Bombay High Court before being elevated as an Additional Judge of the High Court in 2013. He was made a permanent judge in March 2016.