BCI Suspends BCD Vice-Chairman, Seeks CBI Probe into Dubious Law Degree
The Bar Council of India (BCI), in a resolution dated December 7, 2024, has resolved to refer the alleged irregularities concerning the LL.B. (Hons.) degree of Mr. Sanjeev Nasiar, Vice-Chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough investigation.
Pending the outcome of the investigation, the BCI has removed Mr. Nasiar from his position as Vice-Chairman of the BCD, describing his academic credentials as “highly questionable.” “The report dated 25.10.2024 of the Sub-Committee regarding enquiry of the LL.B. (Hons.) Degree of Mr. Sanjeev Nasiar is hereby adopted. The Secretary, Bar Council of India is directed to approach the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with the request to hold an immediate investigation into the authenticity of the LL.B. (Hons.) Degree of Mr. Sanjeev Nasiar and potential fabrication of related records and take appropriate action. Pending the outcome of the investigation, Mr. Sanjeev Nasiar is removed from the position of Vice Chairman, Bar Council of Delhi,” the resolution states.
This decision was made during a meeting convened by the BCI on December 7, 2024. The resolution follows an inquiry conducted by a sub-committee, constituted on September 3, 2024, pursuant to directions issued by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court.
FINDINGS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE
The sub-committee’s inquiry unearthed several significant irregularities in the academic records of Mr. Sanjeev Nasiar. It was revealed that the LL.B. (Hons.) program offered by P.M.B. Gujarati Arts and Law College, Indore, lacked authorization during the period in question, casting doubts on the legitimacy of the degree. Further, the documents provided by Devi Ahilyabai Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV), Indore, appeared tampered, as evidenced by uniform handwriting and consistent ink across multiple entries. Moreover, it was noted that the LL.B. (Hons.) course was formally introduced under the Bar Council of India regulations only in 2008, thereby rendering the validity of Mr. Nasiar's degree, dated 1988, highly questionable. Additionally, university officials displayed a lack of cooperation and actively obstructed the inquiry process, further undermining confidence in the authenticity of the degree.
BCI’s POSITION
Adopting the findings of the sub-committee’s report dated October 25, 2024, the BCI emphasized that the integrity of the legal profession and public confidence in the bar necessitate decisive action.
“This measure is necessary to safeguard the integrity and dignity of the legal profession and ensure public confidence in it. The Bar Council of India is conscientious to uphold the prestige and honour of the legal profession and remains resolute in its resolve to uphold its sanctity to ensure that only those meeting the highest standards of ethics and qualifications are permitted to practice law in India.”
BACKGROUND
The investigation originated from a writ petition filed by Advocate Naresh Chand Gupta, alleging that Mr. Nasiar had enrolled as an advocate using a forged LL.B. (Hons.) degree. The petitioner cited inconsistencies in Mr. Nasiar’s academic records and referred to an earlier case involving forged degrees from the same university.
During proceedings before the Delhi High Court, the university initially vouched for the authenticity of Mr. Nasiar’s degree. However, the High Court observed that despite specific requests from the BCI, the BCD failed to forward relevant records for verification. The High Court subsequently directed the BCD to submit all records to the BCI, leading to the present inquiry. The BCI noted that the university’s inconsistent responses during verification raised further doubts, necessitating an independent investigation by the CBI to ascertain the authenticity of Mr. Nasiar’s credentials.
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