Ahmedabad: In a major breakthrough, police have arrested a man who allegedly established a fake tribunal and posed as its judge, passing fraudulent orders at his office in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The accused, Morris Samuel Christian, had been operating this sham court for at least five years, deceiving people involved in land disputes, according to officials, reports the Vartha Bharati.
Christian passed a false judgment in favour of a client in 2019, in a case related to government land. Police investigations revealed that he targeted individuals whose land dispute cases were pending in the city civil court, charging them fees to resolve their issues.
Operating from an office designed to mimic a legitimate court, Christian appointed himself as an official arbitrator and held bogus court sessions. His accomplices, posing as court staff and lawyers, helped create the illusion of a genuine legal proceeding. Christian would pass favourable orders in these fake proceedings, tricking clients into believing they were obtaining legitimate court rulings.
The Ahmedabad police arrested Christian after a complaint was filed by the city civil court’s registrar, Hardik Desai. The arrest was made under Indian Penal Code sections 170 (pretending to hold an office as a public servant) and 419 (cheating by personation).
Christian’s fraudulent activities came to light when, after passing a fake order related to a government land dispute in Paldi, he attempted to submit his fabricated order to the city civil court through another lawyer. This raised suspicion, leading the registrar to discover that Christian was not a legitimate arbitrator, nor were the orders genuine.
Further investigations revealed that Christian had been involved in a similar cheating complaint filed in 2015. The police have taken action to dismantle his fake tribunal, putting an end to years of deception.
