BCD suspends lawyer for showing fake Covid report to get financial help

The BCD asked him to appear before the disciplinary committee on July 19

The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) Friday temporarily suspended the licence of an advocate for allegedly submitting a false Covid-19 positive report to seek financial assistance.

The BCD said this not only amounts to misconduct but also forgery and cheating and asked him to file response within seven days to a notice issued to him in this regard.

It also asked him to appear before the disciplinary committee on July 19, failing which it will proceed ex-parte and take appropriate action.

The BCD said the Covid-19 report submitted by advocate Sonu Yadav was sent to the laboratory for verification and it was confirmed that no such report was issued in his name.

"It is apparent that Covid report submitted by you (Yadav) is fake and claiming financial help on the basis of fake report not only amounts to misconduct but also forgery and cheating," the bar body said in the show cause notice to him.

Seeing the gravity of the issue the BCD chairman has ordered for constitution of a Special Disciplinary Committee comprising of three members to "immediately investigate the issue to save the dignity and credibility of the institution", it said.

"Ramesh Gupta, Chairman, while considering the gravity of the issue and to uphold the dignity and honor of the legal fraternity, exercised his special powers conferred under.... the Advocates Act, 1961, referred the issue to the Special Disciplinary Committee, and as an interim measure, considered it necessary and appropriate to suspend your licence to practice until the finding and conclusion by the Disciplinary Committee," the suspension of enrolment-cum-show cause notice said.