In a strongly worded order, the Supreme Court recently dismissed the statutory appeal of an Advocate challenging disciplinary action imposed by the Bar Council of India (BCI), affirming the three-year suspension imposed on him for professional misconduct. The case arose from an order dated December 19, 2023, passed by the Bar Council of India, which had found the appellant guilty of misconduct and suspended his license to practice for three years. Rejecting the plea for leniency, the Court dismissed the appeal with exemplary costs of Rs.1 lakh. The Court also issued strict directions to the Bar Council, instructing that the appellant’s license must not be renewed without prior permission of the Supreme Court. "The Bar Council is directed not to renew the license of the appellant without prior permission of this Court.