The Supreme Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct an inquiry into the genuineness of the Bachelor of Commerce degree produced by a petitioner. The Court noted that allegations of the degree being forged had arisen and observed that such matters strike at the root of professional credibility.
The matter arose when questions were raised regarding the authenticity of the petitioner’s B.Com (Honours) degree purportedly issued by Magadh University, Bodh Gaya. The Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana placed on record documents, including a communication from the Controller of Examinations of Magadh University, stating that the mark sheet and degree certificate in question were found to be forged and not issued by the University.
The counsel for the respondent relied upon this communication, asserting that the petitioner had sought to rely on fabricated educational credentials. On the other hand, the petitioner pointed to another annexure claiming that the University records had been torn and, therefore, the degree could not be conclusively verified from the available documents.
The Apex Court, however, underscored the seriousness of the issue. Referring to the material on record, the Bench observed, "Be that as it may, as an issue regarding veracity of a degree has arisen, we deem it appropriate to require the Central Bureau of Investigation, Delhi to do the investigation and ascertain whether the degree set up by the Petitioner of having passed the B.Com examination from Magadh University in the year 1991 is genuine or forged."
Accordingly, the Court directed that a copy of its order be sent to the Director of the CBI, who shall depute an officer to investigate the matter and submit a report by November 30, 2025. The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 9, 2025.
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