Pune, Nov. 4 -- The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG) has suspended the licence of Pune-based lawyer and social activist Asim Sarode for three months over alleged remarks made against the judiciary, the then-Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, and the state assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar. The BCMG's disciplinary committee found Sarode guilty of professional misconduct under the Advocates Act, acting on a complaint filed by Rajesh Dabholkar. The suspension order, dated August 12, was received by Sarode on Monday. According to the complaint, Sarode made the contentious statements during a public event in Mumbai in March 2023, where he reportedly criticised the justice delivery system and certain constitutional authorities. The committee observed that his comments "undermined the authority of the judiciary" and could foster a public perception that the system was "under pressure or compromised." It noted that such remarks, made from a political platform while referring to a Supreme Court case, could erode public trust in the judiciary. "The advocate has created an atmosphere of distrust and disrespect towards the judiciary by making such statements in a public meeting. We believe he has committed professional misconduct," the order stated, calling his conduct "improper and unbecoming of an advocate." However, since this was the first complaint against him, the council described the penalty as "lenient."...