Haryana resident booked for purchasing fake BA and LLB degrees

A Kalka resident, Mahesh Sharma (34), has been served a notice by the Dharampur police for availing fake BA and LLB degrees from Manav Bharti University at Lado village near Sultanpur in Solan. Sharma had enrolled himself with the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana High Court using these fake degrees.

The police action comes after a complaint was lodged by Sunil Dutt, a resident of Kalka, on January 20, 2024. Dutt alleged that Sharma had obtained fake degrees from Manav Bharti University, which was already booked for cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy in 2020.

According to the investigation, Sharma obtained a BA degree from Manav Bharti University during the academic session 2010-13, although the university did not offer the course until 2014. Sharma then obtained an LLB degree from the same university using the fake BA degree.

“The accused had obtained an LLB degree from Manav Bharti University on the basis of this fake BA graduation degree and got himself registered in the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana High Court,” said SP Solan, Gaurav Singh.

The police have registered a case of cheating and forgery against Sharma and have bound him under Section 35(3) of the BNSS to appear before them. Further investigation is underway.

It is worth noting that Manav Bharti University was already under scrutiny for selling fake degrees. An FIR was filed against the university in 2020 under Sections 420, 467, 468, and 120B of the IPC for cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.