Allahabad High Court Dismisses ‘Fake Degree’ Plea Against UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya

The Allahabad High Court on July 7, 2025, dismissed a plea filed seeking registration of a criminal case into allegations that Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya submitted fake educational qualifications.

A single‑judge bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh dismissed the criminal revision plea filed by Prayagraj-based BJP leader and RTI activist Diwakar Nath Tripathi, who asserted that Maurya had used fraudulent degrees from the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan in Prayagraj—an institution alleged to be unrecognized by the UGC—to obtain a petrol pump licence and contest multiple elections.

In 2021, Tripathi filed an application under Section 156(3) CrPC before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Prayagraj, requesting a police probe. The magistrate, Namrata Singh, found no prima facie cognizable offence, as Tripathi submitted only photocopies and lacked verified documentary evidence.

Subsequently, in February 2024, Tripathi’s revision to the high court was dismissed due to a delay of over 300 days in filing.

However, in January 2025, the Supreme Court, accepted Tripathi’s reasons (including illness), and permitted the late filing and remitted the petition back for a merit-based hearing.

In April, the high court admitted the fresh petition and reserved judgment in May. Today, the high court concluded the hearing and dismissed Tripathi’s plea, upholding the findings of the lower court and declining to initiate a criminal case.

Advocate Daya Shankar Mishra appeared for the petitioner.

Case Title: Diwakar Nath Tripathi vs. State of UP and Another