The Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court, displeased with a Ballari advocate’s conduct, on Sept 1 ordered the lawyer to plant and maintain 1,000 fruit‑bearing saplings on any government or school/college land and to pay a token cost of Rs 1,000, while hearing a petition from ten accused seeking transfer of their case. Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar also mandated a compliance affidavit by Oct 31 confirming the planting and payment, with the matter to be revisited on Nov 2.
Justice Hanchate Sanjeevkumar also required the advocate to submit a compliance affidavit by Oct 31 confirming payment of the cost and the planting of the trees, with the issue to be revisited on Nov 2. After accepting an apology filed by the advocate, the judge withdrew the earlier directives issued on April 16 by a sessions court judge in Gangavathi, who had sent the matter to the Chief Justice and the advocate‑general for contempt proceedings and to the Karnataka State Bar Council for professional misconduct.
The Gangavathi judge had also ordered a complaint under IPC Sections 186 and 228 (BNS Sections 221 and 267) for allegedly trying to hinder the sessions case. The sessions judge’s order imposing a cost of Rs 1 lakh on the ten accused represented by the advocate remains effective. Those accused had sought to shift a case that includes charges of murder, unlawful assembly and rioting to another court, and the judge’s other observations continue to stand.
Citing Supreme Court precedents, Justice Sanjeevkumar remarked that an advocate serves as the ‘spokesman of the court’ and must cooperate with it, conducting cases with dignity and courtesy while bearing responsibilities to the court, clients and society.