Advocates Welfare Fund Scam: Kerala Bar Council Assures Cooperation With CBI Probe

The Bar Council of Kerala recently issued a press release disclosing that it does not plan to appeal against the High Court's decision to initiate a CBI probe into the Advocates Welfare Fund scam. In fact, it was added that the Council endorses the verdict of the Court.

Bar Council Chairman Advocate Joseph John published the press release pursuant to a recent order where the Kerala High Court directed a CBI investigation into a scam involving misappropriation of over ₹7.5 crores from the Kerala Advocates Welfare Fund. The amount was allegedly swindled through fake documents from 2007 - 2015.

The statement further revealed that it was the Bar Council that had taken the initiative to get the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to investigate into the misappropriation. It also assured to fully cooperate with the CBI investigation, stating that it wanted to bring out the truth behind the scam.

The Chairman added that no member of the council had demanded an appeal be filed against the High Court order. He further said reports to this effect were published merely because a few members attempted to create a smoke screen by stirring up a controversy.

It was also pointed out that it would have been inappropriate for the bar council to recommend in this regard to the State government in a meeting attended by the Advocate General.

The statement concluded with an assurance that the BCK would soon inform the government that the council endorsed the verdict of the High Court. It was also clarified that the council would not allow those who had swindled lawyers' money to go scot-free.