CHENNAI: After castigating an advocate for misusing his position, the Madras High Court has directed him to vacate the premises, in which he was a tenant, within two weeks. If he fails to do so, the landlord is at liberty to seek the help of police to get him evicted, Justice S Vaidyanathan has said. The judge also granted permission to the landlord to approach the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for taking appropriate disciplinary action against the advocate.
“Unless such person with unprofessional conduct is dealt with an iron hand, the noble profession cannot be safeguarded and if this kind of advocate is not taught a lesson, it will definitely set a bad precedent to the public and create a bad image about lawyers in society, as the person like the lawyer ought to be nipped in the bud itself and it is for the Bar Council to decide on the same,” the judge said.The judge was disposing of a petition from V K Kumaresan, an advocate, seeking to transfer his case pending before a lower court at Vellore to some other court.
The house of P Jayaseelan was occupied by Kumaresan. As the latter defaulted to pay rent regularly, it mounted to several lakh. The matter was taken to courts starting from rent control and finally to the High Court. Disposing of the same on February 19, Justice Vaidyanathan said law profession was already under severe criticism and due to the activities of lawyers in the State, it further started diminishing its reputation. If the tenant like the advocate is allowed to occupy the premises, a situation might arise when no owner will come forward to rent out his building to an advocate. In that event, people will definitely lose their faith in justice delivery system, the judge said.