Three solicitors under investigation for allegedly advising on concocted asylum stories are set to appear before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) following a significant undercover inquiry by a major newspaper.
The three legal professionals, whose firms were closed last year, were implicated in a controversial investigation by a leading publication. This development comes after allegations surfaced that they offered counsel to an undercover reporter intending to fabricate an asylum claim. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), responding to intense media scrutiny, shuttered their firms following the acquisition of recordings and transcripts from the investigation.
The solicitors in question are Muhammad Nazar Hayat, Muhammad Azfar Ahmad, and Rashid Ahmad Khan. Notices for their SDT referrals have been issued, building on decisions made as early as January and February of this year. The allegations, which remain unproven, suggest unethical conduct in providing advice to falsify scenarios to support immigration claims.
In July 2023, the unnamed newspaper reported the alleged malpractice, leading to the immediate revocation of the solicitors’ practising certificates by the SRA. Mr Ahmad of Kingswright Solicitors in Birmingham allegedly encouraged a false narrative for an asylum case and advised a sham marriage for immigration purposes. Meanwhile, Mr Rashid, head of Rashid & Rashid in south-west London, is similarly accused of promoting false narratives for asylum purposes on two separate instances.
Given the circumstances, the SRA has not reinstated their practising privileges. Mr Ahmad’s recent application for a practising certificate was denied in March, with the SRA citing risks to public trust in the legal profession. The SRA asserted that the actions attributed to Mr Ahmad pose a threat to the integrity and reputation of legal services.
These proceedings underscore the gravity of maintaining ethical standards in legal practice, particularly concerning sensitive immigration issues. The disciplinary outcomes for these practitioners will be closely monitored by the legal community and the public alike.
This case highlights the critical importance of ethical conduct in the legal field, especially regarding immigration matters. The tribunal’s decisions will be pivotal in shaping public trust and confidence in the legal profession.
