Priya Gour
Published on: 8 August, 2022 at 18:23 IST
The Madras High Court ordered for an investigation after a fake law degree was produced before the court by a man. A petitioner produced a fake degree certificate under the name of Bharathidashan University after which the Division Bench of Justices S Vaidyanathan and AD Jagadish Chandra ordered for a criminal probe in this matter. This matter came into prominence since only the Ambedkar University issues law degrees in Tamil Nadu.
About the Matter:
A Habeas Corpus plea was moved before the court by D Shanthi, requesting to trace her adopted son held allegedly under the custody of ‘advocate’ S Babu. When the advocate was being verified about his legal profession, it came to the notice of the bench that the degree certificate was issued by Bharathidasan University. The university counsel informed the court that the certificate was fake.
“Even a naked eye would be able to establish that this is a fake one. In the Tamil version of the certificate, it is mentioned that Babu had studied history and secured first class in law and in the English version, it has been ascribed as if he had secured second class in law.”
However the Advocate submitted that he studied law in Government Law College in Tiruchy. He also submitted his identity card to prove that he was enrolled with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The Court did not accept the same and quoted, “Creation of false documents has been mushrooming and people involved in such offences should be crushed with iron hands and must not be allowed to go scot-free.”
The Bench held that post Tamil Nadu’s formation, only Dr Ambedkar Law University (with effect from October 3, 1997), is had been authorised to issue degree certificate in law. No other university enjoys this power. Therefore, the claim of Mr. Babu is entirely false and can not be upheld.
Henceforth, the Court issued directions of a detailed probe in the matter to Chennai police commissioner, deputing an officer not below the rank of assistant commissioner from the Central Crime Branch.