A petition to the CJI and the President alleges Orissa HC Judge holds a fake LLB degree, demanding an urgent inquiry and CBI investigation.
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NEW DELHI: The Indian judiciary has long been regarded as the guardian of the Constitution, a pillar meant to uphold justice and inspire public trust. However, a recent petition filed before the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India has shaken this faith by raising grave allegations against Justice Bibhu Prasad Routray, a sitting judge of the Orissa High Court.
The Allegation
According to the petition dated 28th July 2025, Justice Routray allegedly enrolled as an advocate in 1994 on the strength of an LLB degree from “St. Mary’s Law College, Cuttack”. The problem is,
- This college does not exist in any official records.
- It was never recognized by the Bar Council of India (BCI).
- It was not affiliated with any University or approved by the Government of Odisha.
Despite this, Justice Routray’s career progressed smoothly:
- Enrolled as an advocate in 1994.
- Appointed as an Additional District Judge in 2008.
- Elevated as a permanent Judge of the Orissa High Court in November 2019.
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Evidence from Parliament Records
The petitioner relies on Lok Sabha answers that list BCI-approved law colleges in India as of 2016. These official records, furnished in response to Unstarred Question No. 1018 (08 Feb 2017) and No. 2821 (02 Aug 2017), contain exhaustive state-wise lists of recognized law colleges.
Significantly, St. Mary’s Law College, Cuttack, is missing from both lists. This strongly suggests that no such institution was ever legally permitted to award law degrees in India.
READ ATTACHMENT
The Advocates Act, 1961, mandates that only graduates from BCI-recognized law colleges can be enrolled as advocates. If the degree is fake or unrecognized:
- Enrollment as an advocate is void ab initio.
- Judicial appointments based on such credentials are illegal.
The Supreme Court has consistently held that fraud vitiates everything. In cases like A.P. State Financial Corp. v. GAR Re-Rolling Mills (1994) and United India Insurance Co. v. Rajendra Singh (2000), the Court ruled that acts based on fraud are null and void.
If proven true, the allegation could mean that Justice Routray’s entire judicial career rests on a fraudulent foundation.
The Prayer Before the CJI
The petition requests the Chief Justice of India to:
- Constitute an In-House Inquiry Committee of senior judges to examine the authenticity of Justice Routray’s law degree.
- Debar him from judicial work until the inquiry concludes.
- Direct a CBI investigation into the lapses of various institutions, including:
- Odisha State Bar Council
- Government of Odisha
- Higher Education & Law Departments of Odisha
- Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC)
- Orissa High Court Collegium
The matter now rests with the highest constitutional authorities of India, the Chief Justice of India, the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, and the President.
READ ATTACHMENT
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