The Bar Council of India on Friday has issued an office order restraining Mr Hari Shankar Singh, Chairman of U.P Bar Council from discharging the functions as chairman of Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh on account of serious allegations of misappropriation of money, abuse of power and position and misconduct.
The BCI also asked Mr Devendra Mishra Nagraha, Vice- chairman of U.P state Bar Council to take charge of the office of Chairman of State Bar Council of U.P.
The Bar Council of India has taken cognizance of letter received by members of the UP Bar Council alleging serious allegations of misappropriation of money, abuse of power and position and misconduct of Hari Shanker Singh, Chairman of Bar Council of uttar Pradesh.
The allegations as per the complaint are that Mr. Singh had opened an account in a Bank without the sanction of the State Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh jointly with a clerk, who has never been authorized to operate the Bank account by the State Bar Council. Further, allegations were that the money received as enrolment fee has been illegally transferred to the said Bank Account and huge money was misappropriated.
It was also mentioned in the Bar Council of India’s order that the Chairman had also reinstated the secretary of the State Bar Council of U.P who was suspended for misconduct and misappropriation of huge money and against whom departmental enquiry was conducted by former High Court Judge.
On request made by the members of Bar Council of U.P to restraint Singh from discharging the functions of Chairman U.P State Bar Council, the BCI had removed him from the said post and also directed Singh to explain as to under what circumstances he opened a separate Joint Bank Account along with a unauthorized clerk and diverted the amount collected as enrolment fee in that account, without getting any authority from the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh.
“The said explanation should reach the office of the Bar Council of India within a period of 10 days from the date of receipt of this letter,” said the BCI.
-India Legal Bureau