On Friday, the Bar Council of India in a Notice issued has restrained Hari Shanker Singh, Chairman of the Bar Council of UP from discharging his official duties as he been accussed of high misconduct and misappropriation of funds by the Bar Members.

Singh, whose tenure shall expire on June 08, 2020 has been served Notice, dated 15th May and explaination from him has been sought with regards to the serious allegations leveled against him.

The Bar Members has acciussed Singh of opening a Joint Bank Account with a Clerk, without prior sanction of the State Bar Council and used it to misappropriate the money received by the State Bar Council as enrolment fee.

In further allegations, Bar Members have accussed him of re-instating Ex-Secretary of the State Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh, Ram Jeet Singh, who had already been suspended from his post for serious misconduct and misappropriation of funds of about ₹72 lakh.

It was put forth that the order for reinstatement of Ram Jeet was passed on May 15, without having a consultion with them.

It is being pointed out that the order has been passed soon before the expiry of Singh's tenure as the Chairman and this indicates serious malice in the order.

Last but not least Singh has also been accused of hindering an all-Member meeting despite requisition of 8 Members which was wrongdoing on his part.

With all these facts being presented to BCI, the authority accordingly and in the moment ordered that Singh is restrained from discharging the functions of the Chairman of State Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh, with immediate effect.

It ordered Devendra Mishra Nagraha, Vice-Chairman of the State Bar Council to discharge official duties of this position.

In addition to all above, operation of all the orders passed by Singh after March 14, 2020, has been stayed and those orders will be placed before the General House of the State Bar Council, whenever it shall required.

The BCI Noticec also sought an explanation from Singh, with regards to both the primary allegations and asked to submit the same within 10 days.

The Notice read:

"Mr. Hari Shankar Singh is further requested and directed to explain as to under what circumstances he opened a separate Joint Bank Account along with an unauthorized clerk and diverted the amount collected as enrolment fee in that Account, without getting any authority from the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Hari Shankar Singh will also explain as to how and why, without getting any authority from the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh, he has passed the illegal order of reinstatement of Mr. Ram Jeet Singh even after having full knowledge of the enquiry report submitted by a former Hon'ble Judge of the High Court against him [where charges of misappropriation of Rs.72 Lakhs (approximately) have been established]," 

 

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