Fake court destroyed in Gujarat; scammer pretending to be ‘judge’ issued judgments since 2019 arrested

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Police have uncovered a nefarious scheme orchestrated by a man posing as a judge in his own bogus court and passing “judgments” since 2019, especially in land deals in the Gandhinagar area.

Morris Samuel Christian, since his arrest, is accused of orchestrating a hoax that fooled many into believing they were in a legitimate court.

Police said Christian, the mastermind behind this elaborate ruse, used his gavel to deliver judgments in favor of his clients, all within the fabricated walls of his office.

The mock court, reminiscent of a real courtroom, operated undetected for years, and its roots date back to 2019.

The initial investigation suggested that Christian preyed on unsuspecting individuals involved in land disputes, promising quick resolutions in exchange for large fees.

By assuming the role of judge, he exploited the vulnerable, manipulating the course of justice for personal gain.

The elaborate hoax involved Christian’s associates posing as court personnel, creating a facade of authenticity to deceive their clients.

Elaborate theatrics, with a simulated courtroom in Gandhinagar, lent an air of legitimacy to their fraudulent proceedings.

In 2019, Christian approved an order in favor of his client using the same modus operandi. The case pertains to a government land under the district collector while his client had claimed it and wanted to add his name to the revenue records relating to the plot in question located in Paldi area, a police statement.

Without an authority or order issued by any court under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, Christian told his client that he had been appointed as an “official arbitrator” by the government.

The fraudster then instituted bogus proceedings in his “court” and passed an order in favor of his client, directing the collector to add his client’s name to the revenue records of that land, according to the communicated

To implement the order, Christian, through another lawyer, filed an appeal in the city’s civil court and attached the fraudulent order issued by him.

Court registrar Hardik Desai recently found that Christian is neither an arbitrator nor the court order is genuine.

Following his complaint, the Karanj police lodged an FIR here under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 170 (pretending to hold any office as a public servant) and 419 (cheating by person).

The fraudster was arrested for allegedly deceiving people by pretending to be a judge of an arbitral tribunal and issuing favorable orders claiming that he had been appointed as an arbitrator by a competent court to resolve legal disputes, the statement said.

The accused is already facing a cheating complaint lodged at Maninagar city police station in 2015, he added.