Rajinder Kumar Puri

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Rajinder Kumar Puri, a solicitor and COLP/COFA of Rothery Inesons Solicitors, admitted three allegations: failing to have appropriate professional indemnity insurance from October 2018 to February 2021 (he held only run-off cover), continuing to practise and hold client money without qualifying insurance when he knew or ought to have known, and providing falsified Lloyds bank statements to the SRA in April 2021. The Tribunal found express dishonesty proved as an aggravating feature on the insurance and falsification allegations, based on the Respondent's own admissions. It rejected arguments that prior SDT proceedings (SDT1) and the Respondent's mental health amounted to exceptional circumstances. The Respondent was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £28,000.

Duties found breached:

• Proper basis for allegations
• No acting against a former client
• Handle inadvertently received material

Aggravating factors:

• Two distinct matters of dishonesty
• Dishonesty was deliberate, calculated and repeated
• Misconduct continued over a protracted period of time
• Respondent ought reasonably to have known his obligations
• Material breach of obligations to protect the public and reputation of the profession
• Previous appearance before the Tribunal and sanctioned in 2019

Mitigating factors:

• Full admissions to all allegations including dishonesty
• Attendance and engagement throughout proceedings
• Claimed adverse mental health impact from prior proceedings