Fake degree row: Plea in BCD for recusal of two members

NEW DELHI: An application was today filed before the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) seeking direction to two of its members to recuse themselves from ongoing proceedings against Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar over alleged fake law degree.

"That in the larger interest of justice and for sake of integrity and prestige of the Bar Council of Delhi, they (two lawyers) may kindly recuse themselves and should not be present in the meeting when the matter is taken up by the Council in the interest of justice," the application has said.

The application filed by the complainant - advocate Ripu Daman Singh Bhardwaj - on whose complaint BCD had issued notice to Tomar, has stated that advocate Rajiv Khosla, member of BCD had appeared for Tomar on April 27 in a matter pending before the High Court.

"That it is appreciable, Rajiv Khosla (President of Delhi High Court Bar Association) himself recused in the matter at the time of hearing on May 8 (before BCD) but was present and sitting in the proceeding of the matter.

"It is further pertinent to note that Murari Tiwari, member BCD, had made a recommendation on Tomar's enrollment form in his capacity as member BCD. The said position clearly shows that there was a conflict of interest of both the BCD members in the present case," the application said.

Initially, allegations against Tomar had been raised in a writ petition filed in the Delhi High Court in February this year by a lawyer, alleging that the AAP leader's undergraduate degree from Awadh University was not genuine.

Subsequently a complaint was filed by Bhardwaj, seeking cancellation of Tomar's registration as an advocate and initiation of criminal proceedings against him.

The Bar Council had also issued notice to Tomar and asked him to file his response.