The Bar Council of India (BCI) has suspended Sanjeev Nasiar from his position as vice chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi pending the inquiry into his law degree.
Nasiar, who is the president of Aam Aadmi Party's legal cell too, claims to have acquired a law degree from Devi Ahilya Bai Vishwavidyalaya, Indore.
In a press conference at AAP office, Nasiar alleged that the BJP has weaponised the BCI against him. "I am not afraid of any action or investigation."
"I welcome any inquiry by the CBI or any other authority. I will not be intimidated. Every document of mine has already been verified, and the high court has upheld this," he claimed.
Earlier, in a statement issued on Sunday, the BCI said, "The sub-committee constituted by the BCI, after a thorough enquiry, concluded that the authenticity of the LLB (Hons) degree of Sanjeev Nasiar is highly questionable."
It said the BCI's general council had resolved to adopt the committee's report and the BCI secretary had been directed to approach the CBI, requesting it to probe the degree's authenticity.
"Pending the outcome of the investigation, Sanjeev Nasiar is removed from the position of vice chairman, Bar Council of Delhi," said the release signed by BCI secretary Srimanto Sen.
It said the measure was necessary to safeguard the integrity and dignity of the legal profession and ensure public confidence in it.
"The BCI is conscious to maintain the glory and dignity of the profession and remains firm in its determination to maintain the same dignity so that only persons qualified and of the highest caliber in ethics are allowed to practise law in India," stated the release.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) strongly opposed the BCI decision to remove Nasiar from the post of vice-chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi.
The BCI sent a one-and-a-half years old high court-stayed complaint to CBI and removed Nasiar from his post, said AAP leader Durgesh Pathak.
"AAP vehemently opposes the action against Sanjeev Nasiar and demands BCI to withdraw its arbitrary order," Pathak said.
This includes what Pathak charged: BCI, an institution established to uphold justice, is guilty of "grave injustice" by punishing Nasiar for his ideological support for the AAP.
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