Leeds lawyer cleared in immigration forgery case

A YORKSHIRE lawyer who was accused of forging signatures on immigration applications has had his case thrown out.

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ruled that there was no case to answer.

Immigration caseworker, Mohammed Ali Khan was sacked in November 2013 from Leeds-based Kher Solicitors after an “emotionally charged disciplinary meeting” with the firm’s principal.

According the the principal, Satpal Roth, Mr Khan had admitted forging her signature in the meeting, and reported him to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

On July 22, a Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal hearing in London was told by Matthew Rowley, of Harrowells Solicitors, York, (pictured) who represented Mr Khan, that Khers had failed to investigate the allegations and that those involved in the disciplinary meeting had “lost track of what was said.”

The tribunal threw out the case without having to hear any defence after Matthew Rowley said that the lack of evidence bought by Capsticks, representing the SRA, showed that there was no case to answer.

Mr Khan was awarded £5,000 costs to be paid by the SRA. In addition to the award of costs to Mr Khan, the SRA, which is funded through solicitors’ practicing fees, incurred more than £20,000 of its own legal costs.

He is now lecturing in law in Yorkshire, but hopes to rebuild his career.

Mr Rowley said: “The SRA should never have pursued this case to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

“Mohammed Ali Khan is well known in and outside the legal profession in Yorkshire and his reputation had been severely tarnished by this action.

“This case was ill-conceived with no independent investigation by the SRA, who relied on a prejudiced ‘investigation’ by Mr Khan’s employer.

“This is a worrying example of the SRA exercising its regulatory power in a high handed, draconian and inefficient manner with a complete disregard to the evidence.”