Gujarat man operates fake court, disposes off hundreds of cases

A man named Morris Christian has been arrested for having a court of his own in Gujarat. He was taken into custody after local court's directive for running a fake arbitration tribunal in Gandhinagar, reported TOI.

Investigations have revealed that he does not have a valid licence to practise law.

The civil court ordered an FIR against Christian and his associates when one an order involving Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's land (AMC) land was challenged. The court found that Morris had passed the order in favour of claimants to usurp the land worth over Rs 100 crore. The court termed the order of the fake tribunal "void ab initio" and "not enforceable" as Morris had appointed himself an arbitrator without authority and passed the fraudulent order.


This is not the first time Christian has been caught. He was in jail for three months in 2007 for the same offence. "Morris claimed he had a degree from some international law university and a licence from 'International Bar Council'. He practised in different courts by forging certificates and degrees. No such council existed," Anil Kella, advocate and chairman of Bar Council of Gujarat's finance committee, said.

People had been challenging his order orders and awards as an arbitrator for the last five years and he had been in the eye of the local courts.

Despite contempt proceedings, Morris was undeterred

Gujarat High Court had stayed several decrees in the past. He even faced contempt proceedings, and the district collector had sealed his office -made to look like a court of law -some years ago.

Christian, however, continued his fake practice until Monday when the civil court called out his bluff, noting that there were 10 other cases in which he passed orders pertaining to plots worth crores belonging to government, AMC and private parties.

He put on a strong defence, claiming he was a member of Indian Council of Arbitration and, therefore, authorised to pass such orders. He even told the court how he functioned.

Judge CL Chovatiya was not convinced. “In the past, contempt proceedings took place against Morris but he does not stop his illegal activity and continues to pursue it vigorously by creating a set-up that is like a court of law, by making all administrative arrangements himself,” the judge said, noting Morris disposed of “500 cases” every month.

The court ordered its registrar to have the FIR lodged against Morris and his aides under several sections, including 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), leading to his arrest.

The court underlined that Morris’s primary intention was to usurp govt land. “Though advocate (Morris) Christian was not appointed as an arbitrator-judge, he acted as one and passed an exparte order (in AMC case) without adhering to legal provisions. He created a fake tribunal -a kind of court, creating the atmosphere of a court, keeping lawyers present, behaving like a judge, filing claims-suits and making it all appear real,” the judge said.