Delhi Court refuses anticipatory bail to law graduate in fake degree case

A Delhi Court yesterday denied anticipatory bail to a law graduate accused of obtaining enrolment with the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) on the basis of a fake LLB degree and marksheet.

Saket Court's Additional Sessions Judge Shunali Gupta said that the allegations against the applicant, J Vasanthan were serious in nature and that the suspension order issued by BCD said that post verification his LLB Degree was found fake.

Vasanthan told court that when he applied for registration he came in contact with one Arvind Panchal and Jagdish. He paid a sum of Rs. 95,000/- in cash to them for his enrollment. Later on, when he was suspended he got to know that the marksheet filed alongwith the enrollment application was from Bundhelkhand University, Jhansi. He submitted that his certificates had been changed. Though he had handed over the certificates of Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, Uttar Pradesh to these persons but somehow the documents of Bundelkhand University, came to be on record.

Court was told he change of documents has been on the part of Mr. Jagdish and Mr. Arvind Panchal, he is innocent and ready to fully co-operate in the investigation and thus he may be granted anticipatory bail.

As per the BCI resolution, court noted that there were serious allegations against Jagdish Yadav (employee of BCD) and Advocate Arvind Panchal of having received substantial sum of money from the applicant for facilitating his enrollment with BCD on the basis of forged LLB Degree and marksheet.

Court was told by prosecution that notice to join the Investigation was served twice upon the applicant/accused on 02.12.2025 & 08.12.2025 but he had not joined the Investigation till date and custodial interrogation of the accused was very much required for the detailed investigation In the matter.

"...during the course the arguments, Ld. Counsel for the applicant had admitted that he has not done Graduation in Law from Bundelkhand University but has studied from Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, Uttar Pradesh and as on date the same has not been recognised by the Education Department as the University affiliated and recognised to give law degrees. The applicant has also admitted that he paid Rs. 95,000/- to one Mr. Jagdish and another Rs. 50,000/- to council Sh. Arvind Panchal", the judge noted.

Thus the court went on to order thus, "Considering the totality of facts and circumstances and taking note of the serious allegations not just against, the applicant herein but others named in the investigation who run a syndicate in facilitating enrollment in Bar Council(s) on the basis of fake documents, in order to unearth the conspiracy behind and to reach out to other members of the syndicate, custodial interrogation of the applicant may be needed. Therefore, at this stage, I do not find any ground for grant of anticipatory bail".

Case Title: State vs Vasanthan

Order Date: December 15, 2025

Bench: Additional Sessions Judge Shunali Gupta