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Supreme Court returns Gujarat lawyer Yatin Oza’s gown, asks him to behave
A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and RS Reddy restored the senior designation of Oza on a trial basis
The Supreme Court on Thursday returned the senior advocate’s gown to Gujarat lawyer Yatin Oza, on the condition that he must keep behaving well.
A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and RS Reddy restored the senior designation of Oza on a trial basis, making it clear that his “fate is dependent on his appropriate conduct as a senior counsel before his own High Court (Gujarat), which will have the final say”.
The bench “temporarily” restored Oza’s designation as a senior counsel for a period of two years starting January 1, 2022, during which the Gujarat HC will keep a watch over his conduct and may even decide to take back the gown within two years if there is any misdemeanour on his part. “It is the high court which will watch and can best decide how the petitioner behaves and conducts himself as a senior counsel without any further opportunity,” held the bench, adding it is only providing Oza a window of two years to show that he truly means what he has assured the bench about never repeating his misdeeds.
Oza was stripped off his designation as a senior counsel in July 2020 after the full court of the Gujarat HC voted in favour of withdrawing his robe.
The judges in the high court took note of Oza’s misconduct in levelling allegations against the judges; calling the HC a “Gamblers Den”; circulating contentious messages on WhatsApp against the HC and finally calling a press conference on June 5, 2020 where he made accusations of impropriety against the institution of the HC itself.
The HC initiated dual proceedings— one of contempt and the other of a notice as to why the privilege of the gown should not be withdrawn.
The lawyer was held guilty on both counts.
