New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS): Advocate Sanjeev Nasiar has approached the Delhi High Court challenging his removal from his position as Vice Chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi.

On Monday, his petition was mentioned before Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Vibhu Bakhru for an urgent hearing. ACJ Bakhru ordered the matter to be listed before a bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula.

Justice Narula-led Bench passed an interim order in Nasiar’s favour and stayed the impugned decision of the Bar Council of India (BCI).

The matter will be heard next in the second-last week of January next year. In the meantime, the Delhi HC asked the BCI to file its reply to Nasiar's plea.

The BCI, in a press statement on Sunday, announced Nasiar’s removal after an inquiry revealed “significant and glaring discrepancies in the records” relating to his law degree issued by Indore’s Devi Ahilyabai Vishvavidyalaya.

The BCI has also sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the “authenticity of his LL.B. (Hons) degree” and “potential fabrication of related records”.

The decision follows an inquiry conducted by a sub-committee constituted in September this year and in response to directions of the Delhi High Court. The sub-committee, after a thorough enquiry, concluded that the authenticity of Nasiar’s LL.B (Hons) degree is “highly questionable”.

“The inspection of P.M.B. Gujarati Arts and Law College, Indore, disclosed that the college was not authorised to conduct an LL.B. (Hons) Course during the relevant period. The academic records provided to the Sub-committee appeared tampered with or fabricated with uniform handwriting and ink consistency spanning an extended period. Additionally, it was established that the LL.B. (Hons) programme was introduced under the Bar Council of India regulations only in 2008, rendering the degree in question, purportedly issued in 1988, inconsistent with regulatory requirements,” said a press statement issued by the BCI.

The non-cooperation and obstructive behaviour of university officials during the inquiry further cast serious doubts on the authenticity of the degree, added the press communique.

“Pending the outcome of the investigation, Sanjeev Nasiar is removed from the position of Vice Chairman, Bar Council of Delhi. This measure is necessary to safeguard the integrity and dignity of the legal profession and ensure public confidence in it,” said the BCI resolution.

The BCI 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 practise law in India, the resolution added.