“The reasons assigned in the impugned order by the High Court do not warrant any interference by this Court. Yet, extending a final act of forgiveness, we are inclined to exercise our plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India to suspend and keep in abeyance conviction as well as sentence of the appellant in consequence of this judgment indefinitely,” the bench said.

“The full court of the High Court shall undertake periodic review of the appellant’s conduct at an interval of every 2 years… If the appellant is found to have carried out any further act of a similar nature, the High Court shall be at liberty to file an application in the instant disposed of appeal seeking to give immediate effect to the appellant’s conviction and sentence as directed by the High Court”.

The top court said the “foundational relationship between the bar and the bench… is inextricably linked, serving as indispensable wheels in the chariot of justice”, and that “to steer through the complex terrain of the law and achieve fair, equitable outcomes, these wheels must move in perfect tandem, bound by the shared devotion to uphold the rule of law”.

The SC said it is the “cardinal imperative” that the bar and bench “conducts itself in a manner that casts a shadow of disrepute upon the other”. “The dignity of the Bench and the honour of the Bar are mutually reflective. Conduct that diminishes the stature of one inevitably tarnishes the sanctity of both. If one player loses their footing, the other cannot stand tall. The tremor of an individual’s fault resonates throughout the entire ecosystem, risking the equilibrium of the institution itself,” the court said.

The top court also asked the Gujarat High Court to reconsider its decision to revoke his designation as a senior advocate following an incident in 2024. Though the high court had stripped him of his designation in 2020, the apex court restored it temporarily for two years in October 2022, exercising powers under Article 142.

The Gujarat High Court had convicted Oza and sentenced him to remain in custody until the court rose in October 2020, but suspended the conviction and sentence for 60 days to enable him to appeal.