Bar Council of India to file complaint against news article's author, publisher for defaming its chairman

The Bar Council of India Thursday said it will file a complaint with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting against an advocate for writing “malicious” and “derogatory” article against its chairman as well as the online news portal that published it.

The BCI, which is an apex body of lawyers regulating the legal profession, termed as “defamatory” the allegations made by advocate Vikas Bhadauria in a June 1 article against its chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, and said that it was a “brazen attack not only on the Chairman, but, on the Bar Council of India as an Institution.”

The article had accused Mishra of misusing his position at the BCI for his personal and political gains.

In the resolution passed on Thursday, the council termed the article as “reckless and motivated” wherein “malicious, mischievous, derogatory and baseless imputations” have been made against Mishra.

“It is appalling to note that news portal has allowed its platform to be used for a defamatory story prompted by ill-will and malice to make personal allegations against Mishra.

“We take it as a brazen attack not only on the Chairman, but, on the Bar Council of India as an Institution,” the resolution, passed in a meeting presided by BCI Vice-Chairman Satish A. Deshmukh, said.

It added that Bhadauria “has done cherry picking to suit his false story and has made reference to selective portions of certain statements and communications of Mishra without giving full text and proper purport which has always been to advance the cause of the bar.“

“The story by Bhadauria is only scandal mongering and vilification campaign against Mishra and we resolve to condemn and reject it with all contempt it deserves.

“We further resolve to make a complaint to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting against Bhadauria and the news portal for their acts of misreporting, omission and commission,” it said.

It added that the council will take the decision about lodging criminal case for defamation.