Indian-Origin Barrister Disbarred For Oxford University Medical Degree Lie
An Indian-origin lawyer who was found to have misled a UK barrister's chamber by falsely claiming to have studied medicine at the University of Oxford has been disbarred for professional misconduct by an independent tribunal.
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- From: India News Bull
London:
An independent tribunal has disbarred a 50-year-old Indian-origin barrister, Anurag Mohindru, for professional misconduct after discovering he falsely claimed to have studied medicine at Oxford University.
The Bar Standards Board charged Mohindru with engaging in conduct that was dishonest and/or discreditable, likely diminishing public trust and confidence in the legal profession. During a hearing last week, the regulatory body revealed that Mohindru had brought disrepute to the profession through false statements made in his November 2012 application for tenancy at 23 Essex Street chambers.
"In the CV he asserted he had studied biomedical science/medicine at Oxford University when he had not," stated the board in a recent announcement.
The tribunal determined this deception constituted a serious breach of professional standards expected from Bar members. Having established Mohindru's dishonesty, the panel ordered his immediate disbarment, with suspension effective pending any appeal process.
In its conclusion, the tribunal found Mohindru had acted dishonestly by providing false information on his curriculum vitae during his chambers application. He was also ordered to pay legal costs amounting to 54,780 pounds.
A spokesperson for the Bar Standards Board emphasized, "The public and profession should expect barristers to be honest when applying for positions within a chambers. Dishonesty such as this undermines the trust and confidence that the public places in barristers and in the profession as a whole. The tribunal's decision to disbar Mr Mohindru reflects the seriousness of this misconduct and the importance of maintaining the integrity of the Bar."
Mohindru, who holds the prestigious King's Council (KC) title as a senior legal professional, was called to the Bar of England and Wales by London's Middle Temple Inn in 2004. While he denied knowingly misleading the chambers, his disbarment remains subject to potential appeal.
Following the tribunal's findings, Mohindru has also resigned as chairman of the Essex County Cricket Club this week.
"Essex County Cricket Club can confirm that Club Chair Anu Mohindru has stood down as a Board Member with immediate effect. He informed the Board of his decision at a meeting on Sunday," the club announced in a Tuesday statement.
The statement continued, "Following the meeting the Board has decided that Jason Gallian will act as Interim Chair whilst Vicky Ford will assume the position of Interim Deputy Chair. Essex County Cricket Club would like to place on record its thanks to Anu for his leadership and significant contribution during his time as Chair of the Club."
Mohindru, a UK-educated lawyer, had previously represented several high-profile cases, including one involving England cricketer Ben Stokes following a nightclub altercation in 2018.