Mohindru resigns following tribunal ruling
Anu Mohindru has resigned as chairman of Essex County Cricket Club after a disciplinary tribunal found he had misrepresented key details of his academic and professional background.
The club confirmed the decision in a statement: “Essex County Cricket Club can confirm that Club Chair Anu Mohindru has stood down as a Board Member with immediate effect.” The statement added, “He informed the Board of his decision at a meeting on Sunday.”
Disbarment over false academic claims
Mohindru, a King’s Counsel and prominent criminal lawyer, was disbarred last week by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) after a hearing concluded he had included false information in a CV submitted in 2013 while applying for a senior position at 23 Essex Street Chambers.
During the hearing, Mohindru denied he had ‘knowingly’ submitted inaccurate information. But the tribunal found otherwise, ruling that he had ‘deliberately exaggerated his academic achievements and qualifications in an attempt to improve his tenancy prospects.’
Among the false claims was that he had studied medicine and biomedical science at the University of Oxford and had represented Oxford in the historic cricket varsity match against Cambridge. Oxford reportedly found no record of Mohindru as a student during the time he claimed to have attended.
The tribunal ordered his disbarment and imposed legal costs of £54,780 (approx. US$75,049, pending any appeal.
Interim leadership announced at Essex
In the wake of Mohindru’s resignation, the Essex board has moved quickly to install interim leadership. “Following the meeting the Board has decided that Jason Gallian will act as Interim Chair whilst Vicky Ford will assume the position of Interim Deputy Chair,” the club said.
Essex also acknowledged Mohindru’s contributions to the organization: “Essex County Cricket Club would like to place on record its thanks to Anu for his leadership and significant contribution during his time as Chair of the Club.”
A turbulent period for Essex leadership
Mohindru’s departure adds to a series of leadership transitions at the Chelmsford-based club. His appointment followed the resignation of interim chairman Sir Stephen O’Brien, who had stepped in after Azeem Akhtar resigned amid scrutiny over historic social media activity. Akhtar was cleared by an independent review but chose to step down nonetheless.
These leadership changes have taken place against the backdrop of broader issues at the club. In 2022, Essex were fined £50,000 by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after pleading guilty to charges related to a racist remark at a 2017 board meeting. In 2023, the club admitted to long-standing institutional discrimination and was fined £100,000—of which £50,000 was suspended.
High-profile legal background
Before his disbarment, Mohindru had built a reputation as a high-profile barrister. In 2018, he defended England cricket captain Ben Stokes in a high-profile affray case, which ended in acquittal. In 2015, he represented a defendant in a major people-smuggling trial involving Afghan Sikhs discovered in a container at Tilbury Docks.
Mohindru was appointed as a QC in 2020 and named Essex chairman in 2023.
