Recently, the Police has arrested Morris Samuel Christian, who had been running a fake court and posing as a judge in Gandhinagar since 2019. Christian's elaborate scam involved setting up a false tribunal that mimicked a real courtroom, where he would pass fraudulent judgments, primarily in land dispute cases. By pretending to be a judge, Christian convinced his victims—many of whom were embroiled in complex land issues—that he could offer swift legal resolutions in exchange for large fees.

Christian went to great lengths to make his fake court appear legitimate. He employed associates who posed as court staff, creating an atmosphere that convinced his clients they were participating in genuine legal proceedings. In one notable case, Christian falsely claimed he had been appointed as an official arbitrator by the government. He passed an order directing the district collector to add his client’s name to the revenue records of a government land in the Paldi area, even though he had no legal authority to do so.

Case Brief:

The scam came to light recently when a city court registrar, Hardik Desai, discovered that Christian was neither an arbitrator nor authorized to issue such orders. This prompted a police investigation, revealing that Christian had been operating the fake tribunal for years without detection. He had even tried to file the fraudulent order in the city civil court to further deceive the authorities.

The police have charged Christian under sections 170 (pretending to hold any office as a public servant) and 419 (cheating by personation).

His arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into the full extent of his fraudulent activities. Christian is also facing a previous cheating complaint filed in 2015 at the city’s Maninagar police station, further highlighting his long history of deception.

This arrest serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in legal matters, as Christian’s elaborate scheme preyed on vulnerable individuals seeking legal assistance, manipulating them for his personal gain. Authorities are now working to ensure that any victims of Christian’s fake tribunal receive justice.

The accused is already facing a cheating complaint filed at the city's Maninagar police station in 2015, it added.