Shilpi Nama
On 3rd July, 2025, the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG) suspended an advocate from legal practice for two years. Advocate Ranjeeta Vengurlekar has been found guilty of professional misconduct after she charged a client ₹80,000 as a fraudulent court fee. The disciplinary action was taken following a complaint by Abhijeet Jagannath Zadokar, who accused Vengurlekar of issuing a fake receipt for the court fee. Zadokar claimed he paid a total of ₹1.5 lakh for legal services and suffered a financial loss of approximately ₹21 lakh due to her actions.
The disciplinary committee, consisting of Chairman U.P. Warunjikar and members S.D. Desai and A.A. Garge, examined evidence including WhatsApp chats and a Section 65B Evidence Act certificate. Their investigation concluded that the court fee receipt submitted by Vengurlekar was prima facie bogus and that the electronic evidence provided was credible. The committee found her conduct to violate professional ethics and fiduciary responsibilities, constituting clear professional misconduct.
As a result, BCMG imposed a two-year suspension on her sanad (license to practice law) and ordered her to pay ₹25,000 in compensation to the complainant within one month of receiving the notice. This penalty underscores the seriousness with which regulatory bodies treat ethical breaches in the legal profession.
The case brings attention to several key professional standards: the fiduciary duty of lawyers to act in their clients’ best interests, the need for transparency in billing, and the importance of proper documentation and ethical behavior. It also demonstrates the authority of the Bar Council to investigate, discipline, and hold advocates accountable.
Importantly, the action sends a strong deterrent message to the legal community. It reinforces mechanisms for client protection and maintains public trust in the legal system. Trust and transparency are foundational to the lawyer-client relationship, and this case underscores the necessity of upholding those values.
For legal practitioners, the case serves as a cautionary example, highlighting the importance of ethical conduct, accurate billing, proper communication, and documentation. The decisive action taken by BCMG not only delivers justice to the complainant but also reaffirms the Bar Council’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity within the legal profession.
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