Bar Council of Delhi suspends licence of Karkardooma lawyer for allegedly using his chamber for performing religious conversion, Muslim marriages

The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) has passed an interim order suspending the license of a lawyer for allegedly using his chamber for performing religious conversion and Muslim marriages. .A communication to that effect was also sent by the Secretary of BCD to the lawyer, Iqbal Malik. It said that illegal activities in the chamber of an advocate negates the dignity of legal profession. "The alleged activities are not permissible nor are part of the professional activities of an Advocate and your conduct in performing a Nikah and issuance of certificate of conversion and Nikahnama/ Marriage certificate is totally disgraceful and negates the dignity of legal profession.".The complaint/allegation was reported by one, Sohan Singh Tomar who claimed that Malik's chamber was being used for illegal activities. It was told that Nikah (Muslim marriage) and religious conversions were being performed in the chamber at Karkardooma Court. The complainant also alleged that his daughter was forcibly converted to Islam and married from the chamber of Malik. The order passed by BCD said that as per the documents, a conversion trust is being run from the chamber and address of a Quazi has been mentioned as F-73 Karkardooma court. "Since there are different numbers mentioned in the documents, i.e. F-322 and F-73, it is a matter to be gone into depth by the Bar Council to ascertain complete facts and truths," the order said.But based on the arguments and documents, prima facie the activity of performing Nikah in a court chamber cannot be permitted and it calls for urgent action by the Bar Council, the order further stated. The BCD, therefore, suspended the license of the lawyer as a temporary measure in exercise of his powers under Rule 43 of the Bar Council of India Rules and section 6(1) (d) of the Advocates Act, 1961..Further, a special disciplinary committee was constituted comprising Himal Akhtar (Vice Chairman, BCD), KC Mittal (Former Chairman, BCD) and Ajayinder Sangwan (Former Secretary, BCD). .Malik was directed to submit his response within seven days and appear (in-person) before the Disciplinary committee on July 16 at 4.00 pm. .[Read BCD order]