The Bar Council of India (BCI) has stayed the decision of the Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana to suspend the license of Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (HCBA) President Vikas Malik.
Malik faces allegations of assaulting a lawyer and removing the DVR of the CCTV cameras installed at the HCBA office. He is currently in judicial custody related to the physical assault case.
Prior to his arrest by the Chandigarh Police, Malik temporarily stepped down from his position as HCBA President after the High Court directed the Bar Council to investigate sexual harassment allegations against him. Malik had also challenged the suspension of his license before the BCI.
The BCI, in its order stated, “After perusal of the record and the arguments advanced by the Ld. Counsel for the petitioner, this committee is of the opinion to keep the interim order … passed by DC-VIII, of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana … where the license of petitioner was suspended till the final decision of the complaint and he is debarred from practice in any court of law, is kept in abeyance till the next date of hearing.” The BCI also directed the State Bar Council to send the case records to it within 15 days. The matter is next listed for hearing on August 31.
The State Bar Council’s Disciplinary Committee had earlier stated that Malik repeatedly interfered with the administration of justice and “brought stigma” upon the noble and prestigious post of HCBA President, thereby lowering the dignity of one of the best High Courts in the country.
“In light of the above-mentioned compelling circumstances, we deem it appropriate that his license should be suspended till the final decision of the present complaint so that apprehension of destruction of evidence and influence of witnesses can be avoided,” the July 10 order stated.
Malik was booked by Chandigarh Police on July 1 under various provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly assaulting another lawyer, advocate Ranjeet Singh, in the HCBA office at the High Court premises. Singh had gone to serve a dasti notice issued by the High Court to Malik in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed against him by certain advocates alleging misappropriation of HCBA funds by him and others when he was allegedly assaulted.
Malik was arrested on July 12. His bail plea is currently pending before the Chandigarh District Court.
The case will be heard today (August 1).
