New Delhi, Sept 18: The Supreme Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to verify the authenticity of a lawyer’s B.Com degree after Magadh University declared his marksheet and certificate “forged and not issued by the university.”
A bench of Justices Manoj Misra and Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order while hearing an appeal against the Bar Council of India’s disciplinary committee decision. Earlier, the court had noted a letter from Magadh University’s controller of examinations confirming the alleged forgery.
The lawyer, however, produced a photocopy of his B.Com (Honours) degree from the 1991 three-year course, claiming university records were damaged and might not confirm his credentials.
Unconvinced, the bench directed the CBI to conduct a thorough inquiry and ascertain the degree’s authenticity. “We deem it appropriate to require the Central Bureau of Investigation, Delhi, to investigate and ascertain whether the degree set up by the Petitioner is genuine or forged,” the court said in its September 15 order.
The CBI has been asked to depute an officer for the probe and file its report by November 3. (Agencies)
