October 28, 2024: In a significant crackdown on fraudulent legal practitioners, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has officially removed the names of 107 fake lawyers from its rolls in Delhi between 2019 and October 2024. This initiative is part of the BCI's ongoing efforts to uphold the integrity and professionalism of the legal profession.

In a statement released on October 26, the BCI emphasized that this decisive action is aimed at eliminating not only fake advocates but also those who fail to meet the necessary standards for legal practice. "By doing so, the BCI seeks to protect public trust and safeguard the legal system from unethical practices," the statement noted.

BCI Secretary Srimanto Sen highlighted that the removal of these lawyers is just one aspect of a broader initiative. "Since 2019, several thousand fake advocates have been removed following comprehensive investigations into their credentials and practices," he stated. Key reasons for these removals include the use of forged certificates, misrepresentation during enrollment, failure to actively practice law, and non-compliance with the BCI's verification processes.

The issue of fake lawyers has drawn the attention of the Supreme Court, which has been issuing orders regarding the removal of such individuals from the legal profession. The identification of fake advocates is facilitated by continuous investigations conducted by the BCI and a high-powered committee established by the apex court in the case of Ajay Shanker Srivastava v. Bar Council of India.