Delhi Bar Council suspends license of 10 more lawyers for submitting fake COVID report

The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) has suspended the license of 10 more lawyers on Wednesday for allegedly submitting a fake positive COVID-19 report for financial assistance.

Special Disciplinary Committee has been constituted against the lawyers.

In a statement on Wednesday, the BCD informed that the license of 10 more advocates has been suspended for submitting a fake COVID-19 positive report for financial aid and that a Special Disciplinary Committee has been constituted against them.

The BCD has decided to verify all COVID reports of approximately 4,000 lawyers from the respective issuing Path Labs and advised the beneficiaries that in case, any of them has submitted a fake COVID report, he or she may voluntarily tender an apology.

The BCD has taken the decision while observing the scrutiny of random 200 applications and found that 10 advocates had furnished forged COVID reports.

Taking cognisance of the same, Bar Council immediately took action and has suspended those advocates and constituted a Special Disciplinary Committee comprising of Murari Tiwari (Member, BCD), Sanjay Rathi (Member, BCD) and Piyush Gupta (Hony. Secretary, BCD).

"In view of the above, we have decided to verify all Covid reports approximately of 4,000 lawyers, from the respective issuing Path Labs. It is therefore advised to the beneficiaries that in case any of them has submitted a false Covid report, he may voluntarily tender an apology in the form of an affidavit along with a demand draft of the amount already received in favour of 'Bar Council of Delhi Indigent and Disabled Lawyers Account'," a statement issued by Piyush Gupta, Hony. Secretary, BCD read.

The BCD has warned that the opportunity of voluntarily tendering apology will be granted only once, and later on, strict disciplinary action will be taken against all those found involved in the fabrication of the COVID reports for claiming grants.

BCD on July 9 suspended a lawyer's license to practice for allegedly submitting a fake COVID positive report."It is apparent that COVID report submitted by the said lawyer is fake and claiming financial help on the basis of fake report not only announced to misconduct but also forgery and cheating," it said.

"Ramesh Gupta, Chairman, while considering the gravity of the issue and to uphold the dignity and honour of the legal fraternity, exercised his special powers conferred under Rule 43 of the Bar Council of India Rules and Section 6 (1) (d) of the Advocates Act, 1961, referred the issue to the Special Disciplinary Committee, and as an interim measure, considered it necessary and appropriate to suspend the licence to practice until the finding and conclusion by the Disciplinary Committee," the statement read.

The BCD further directed the lawyer to file a response before the Special Disciplinary Committee within seven days of receipt of this notice and to appear in person before the committee on July 19, 2021 failing which the Special Disciplinary Committee will proceed ex-parte and take further appropriate action.

The said lawyer had approached the BCD seeking financial assistance on the ground of COVID-19 positive. His COVID positive report was referred for verification to the concerned lab and it has been confirmed by the said lab that no such report has been issued by them in his name.

( With inputs from ANI )