The founder of one of Nottingham's leading law firms did not discriminate against a pregnant paralegal who he sacked over benefit fraud suspicions. Ashish Bhatia, the boss of law firm Bhatia Best, in Carrington Street, Nottingham, had contested the action by the Solicitors Regulations Authority (SRA), which ordered him to a disciplinary tribunal on the back of the employee tribunal years ago.
The panel of three heard argument before they found the allegation was not proved - that he had allegedly discriminated against ex-employee Miss Elaina Brown by treating her unfairly because of her pregnancy. But while the panel found against the SRA on that claim, it did find he failed to notify the Solicitors Regulations Authority (SRA) of the employment tribunal judgement.
He was reprimanded by the tribunal on that allegation alone, and ordered he pay costs of £1,000.
