James Counsell KC acts for BSB in disbarment of criminal silk, Anu Mohindru KC

On 12 September 2025, the Bar Disciplinary Tribunal disbarred Anu Mohindru KC after an allegation of dishonesty was found to be proved, relating to an application which he made for tenancy in 2012/13. James Counsell KC acted for the BSB throughout the proceedings.

The five-strong tribunal heard that, during the course of his application for a tenancy to 23 Essex Street Chambers (“23ES”), Mr Mohindru had falsely claimed that he had studied medicine at Oxford University. In doing so, he conducted himself discreditably and behaved in a way likely to diminish trust and confidence in the legal profession or the administration of justice or otherwise brought the profession into disrepute.

Mr Mohindru, who denied the allegation, was interviewed by a panel of senior barristers at 23ES and had claimed that he had obtained a ‘blue’ in cricket (playing for Oxford University against Cambridge), when he had not been to the university at all. That falsehood had led the panel to make further investigations by asking Mr Mohindru to provide a CV in which he had said that he had read medicine at Oxford University when, in fact, he did not have an undergraduate degree at all.

Having heard evidence from barrister members of the interview panel and from the chambers’ director at the time, together with Mr Mohindru himself and from character witnesses called on his behalf, the Tribunal found the allegation proved. In imposing the sanction of disbarment, HH Nicholas Ainley, Chair of the disciplinary panel, said that Mohindru had told the “reckless, foolish and completely unnecessary lie” about studying at Oxford University in the tenancy interview and ‘doubled down’ on it when he later sent a copy of his CV to chambers.

Called to the bar in 2004, he had enjoyed a ‘brilliantly successful’ career, Ainley said, adding that it was ‘with genuine regret that we find the first charged to be proved’. A second allegation that he claimed to have a medical qualification was dismissed. Mr Mohindru was Chair of Essex County Cricket Club but has now resigned from that position as a result of the Tribunal’s finding.

James Counsell KC has a longstanding background in regulatory and disciplinary work, spanning the whole range for and against professionals, including appearing in hearings involving doctors, dentists, accountants, solicitors, barristers, IFAs and actuaries. He is regularly instructed by the BSB and the SRA, and prosecutes misconduct hearings against solicitors and barristers for dishonesty and sexual impropriety as well as defending individuals. James is also frequently instructed by all the principal medical defence organisations to represent doctors and dentists at the General Medical Council (the MPTS) and General Dental Council. 

Media Coverage

The case has been widely covered by the press, including:

• Bar Standards Board
• The Times
• Daily Mail
• The Law Society Gazette
• BBC News

Find out more

To find out more about James, contact Paul Barton on +44 (0)207 427 4907 or Graham Woods on +44 (0)207 427 4902 for a confidential discussion.

News 16 Sep, 2025