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Morris Samuel Christian, a self-proclaimed arbitrator who operated an illegal courtroom in Gandhinagar, India, has been exposed as a fake judge. Christian, who insisted on being referred to as a judge despite being apprehended by police, had been practicing law illegally for 25-30 years and operating his fraudulent court for six years. He was found to be unregistered with any state bar council across India, and his claimed law degree was not valid under the Bar Council of India (BCI). Despite his claims to the contrary, Christian was unable to prove his legal standing. He alleged that the police had beaten a confession out of him and broke his glasses, but the court transferred him to Sabarmati Jail and ordered a medical report.
The extent of Christian's deception was revealed through various fraud complaints. In 2015, he established a fake arbitration tribunal and charged clients exorbitant fees, including ₹1 lakh for services. He even forged a circular claiming his appointment as an arbitration counselor by the Principal Judge of Gandhinagar. His illegal rulings impacted over 100 acres of land and affected multiple properties, with at least 10 cases still pending. Christian further charged clients ₹30 lakh per arbitration, fraudulently naming government officials as opposing parties in his proceedings.
The Gujarat Bar Council investigated Christian's credentials in 2007, finding that he did not qualify for a legal license due to his lack of valid educational qualifications. He had claimed to have obtained an LLB degree in 2002 from Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Sansthan in New Delhi and a B.Com from the same institution, but the institution was not recognized by the Bar Council of India. His claim of membership in the International Bar Council was also dismissed, as it did not grant permission to practice law in Indian courts. Christian's history of deception extends back to 2006 when he was arrested by the Crime Branch in a fake visa scam involving forged passports and visas. The current investigation began after Christian attempted to transfer government land through an unauthorized arbitration award. The extent of his fraudulent activities and the number of victims he scammed remain under investigation.
Source: Gandhinagar fake ‘judge’ practised law illegally for 25–30 years