KOCHI: The Bar Council of Kerala (BCK) on Monday suspended Alphons Kannanthanam MLA from practising law for six months after finding him guilty of professional misconduct.
The BCK disciplinary committee found that the MLA was actively participating in the business by running ‘Alphons Kannanthanam Academy for Career Excellence’ in the field of education, which was in violation of the Bar Council of India (BCI) rule.
According to BCK, Kannanthanam applied for a trademark when he was in the roll of the State Bar Council and that too without suspending practice or with permission from the BCK, which is violation of the Rule 36 of the BCI rules.
The BCK asked Kannanthanam to file an affidavit in six months, stating that he is not indulging in any business activity, in order to revoke the suspension.
In an order passed by the disciplinary committee, comprising BCK chairman C Gopalakrishnan Nair and members C M Nazar and K N Anil Kumar, made it clear that if Kannanthanam fails to submit the affidavit, his name will be removed from the State Roll of Advocates.
The BCK initiated suo moto proceedings against Kannanthanam based on allegations that he indulged in business and that he was receiving `25,000 a month and 15 percent of the total annual income of the establishment. The BCK referred the matter to the disciplinary committee for adjudication and the commmittee found that there are sufficient materials to make prima facie case against Kannanthanam. However, he was absent on five consecutive posting dates. Though he filed a review petition, he did not cooperate with the proceedings of the committee and the case was posted for ex-parte evidence. Kannanthanam later filed a petition before the Kerala High Court challenging the ex-parte order. However, the petition was dismissed.