New Delhi, Sept 18: The Supreme Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to verify the authenticity of an advocate’s educational qualifications after Magadh University alleged that his certificates were forged.
A bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan took up an appeal challenging a decision by the Bar Council of India’s disciplinary committee. The case surfaced after the controller of examinations at Magadh University, Bodh Gaya, issued a letter claiming that the advocate’s B.Com degree and marksheet were “forged and not issued from the university.”
The court instructed the lawyer to submit photocopies of the degrees he claimed to have earned in commerce and law. The advocate provided a photocopy of the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree, reportedly completed in August 1991. He explained that the university’s original records were damaged, which may prevent verification from existing documents.
“Considering the circumstances, it is appropriate to direct the CBI, Delhi, to investigate and ascertain whether the petitioner’s B.Com degree from Magadh University in 1991 is genuine or forged,” the bench stated on September 15.
The Supreme Court has asked the CBI to appoint an officer to conduct the investigation and submit a report by November 3.