Madras High Court orders CBI probe after litigant claims to be sitting judge of Punjab & Haryana High Court

The Madras High Court recently directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct an investigation after a litigant produced a notification allegedly issued by the Union Law Ministry appointing him as an additional judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court..Justice B Pugalendhi suo motu impleaded the Superintendent of Police, CBI Madurai, as a party to the plea and directed him to probe the “genuineness” of such notification..The Court was hearing a petition filed by one Captain Dr VRC Pandiyan seeking to set aside an order of the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation Limited (TNSIDCO) that had cancelled the allotment of an industrial shed to him for non-payment of dues.Pandiyan told the Court that he held several educational degrees and records in the Guiness Book of World Records, and was thus perfectly capable of paying the dues and running the shed. He further claimed that he had been a practicing advocate for over 10 years..The State authorities told the Court that Pandiyan had been intimidating the respondent authorities by sending them emails claiming to be a sitting judge..When the Court inquired, Pandiyan claimed to be a practicing advocate and a sitting judge at the same time. He also fished out a notification on his mobile phone that he claimed had been issued by the Union Law Ministry on September 19, 2021, appointing him as “Judicial Member Collegium with effect from 22.09.2021 to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, consequent upon the superannuation of Shri Justice Karamjit Singh, Judge of Punjab and Harayana High Court.”.Justice Pugalendhi said that the notification seemed suspicious, especially given that Pandiyan had also claimed to be a lawyer and a businessperson earlier..“On a plain reading, this notification dated 19.09.2021 creates suspicion over its genuineness. Moreover, the petitioner himself has filed an additional typed set of papers, wherein, an Experience Certificate dated 25.10.2023 issued by the Madras High Court Advocates' Association is enclosed, as per which, the petitioner [Enrolment No. - Ms.466/2014] is practising as an Advocate in the Supreme Court of India, High Court at Chandigarh and High Court, City Civil Court, Magistrate Courts and Small Causes Court at Madras. The certificate further reads that he has 10 years of active practice in civil matters,” the Court said..The Court accordingly directed the CBI to ascertain the genuineness of the notification and to take appropriate action if such notification was found to have been fabricated..Pandiyan appeared as a party-in-person.Special Government Pleader P Subburaj and Standing Counsel T Sakthi Kumaran appeared for the State authorities.Deputy Solicitor General of India K Govindaraj appeared for the CBI..[Read Order]