Advocate who 'incited attack' on Sharad Pawar's South Bombay home challenges action by lawyers' body

MUMBAI: Calling it "political vendetta" for opposing Maratha reservation, an advocate booked for inciting an attack on NCP leader Sharad Pawar's SoBo home last year has moved Bombay high court, challenging disciplinary proceedings initiated against him by Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa (BCMG).

Gunratan Sadavarte urged HC to quash two complaints and a notice by the disciplinary panel to be present for enquiry for misconduct under The Advocates Act.

The first complaint of 2022 is by Baramati resident and RTI activist Nitin Yadav about Sadavarte's "slanderous" remarks in a 2020 TV debate against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's descendants Udayanraje Bhosale and Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, from October 2021 to April 2022 "obnoxious" statements with malicious intent "culminating into a violent attack" on Pawar's residence, during MSRTC consciously misled protestors leading to suicides and allowing his minor daughter to drive a car on a busy highway.

Denying allegations, Sadavarte's petition said, "..just to flatter the political bosses of Baramati i.e. Mr Ajit Pawar and Mr Sharad Pawar, such a frivolous complaint is filed". Also, Yadav has "personal grudge" due to public actions "he [Sadavarte] may have taken as a popular leader of the working class'' and his "legal successes" before HC and SC that struck down Maratha reservation law.

The second complaint by advocate Sushil Manchekar, president of Pimpri Court Bar Association, said that many times Sadavarte wore a black coat with a band in public places other than court. including TV debates and public agitation, violating Bar Council rules governing advocates. But Sadavarte said on oral directions of an HC bench not to crowd the court premises, he was allowed to go and address his huge base of clients.

Sadavarte cited a police closure report in an FIR and BCMG's 2022 dismissal of a complaint of "similar nature" by a Maratha activist. adding that for same cause second time enquiry is "double jeopardy". On Friday, Sadavarte mentioned the matter before Justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale. The hearing is posted on March 14.

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