Ahmedabad: A lawyer from Ahmedabad, Morris Christian, has been arrested for operating a fraudulent arbitration tribunal without a valid law license. His self-made “court” was shut down following a directive from the civil court in Gandhinagar, where it was revealed that Morris had been running a sham legal operation aimed at seizing valuable properties.
The investigation began when an order issued by Morris’s tribunal, involving a plot of land belonging to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) worth over Rs 100 crore, was challenged. The civil court deemed the order invalid and fraudulent, stating it was “void ab initio” as Morris had no legal authority to act as an arbitrator.
Morris’s past is mired in controversy. He had previously served a three-month prison sentence in 2007 for forging legal documents and practicing law without a valid license. “Morris claimed to have a degree from an international law university and a license from a non-existent ‘International Bar Council’,” said Anil Kella, advocate and chairman of the Bar Council of Gujarat’s finance committee.
Over the years, Morris’s unauthorized activities had been flagged by several courts, but he continued undeterred. Despite earlier contempt proceedings and his office being sealed for resembling a courtroom, Morris persisted. The Gujarat High Court had even stayed multiple decrees issued by him, but he remained defiant until his arrest on Monday.
In his defense, Morris argued that he was affiliated with the Indian Council of Arbitration and thus had the authority to issue arbitration orders. However, the presiding judge, CL Chovatiya, was not convinced. “Morris deliberately created a court-like setup, appointing lawyers, filing suits, and passing orders to make everything appear legitimate,” the judge remarked. The court noted that Morris had disposed of “500 cases” monthly through this illegal tribunal.
The court ordered the registration of an FIR against Morris and his associates under sections related to cheating (420) and criminal conspiracy (120B). The judge emphasized that Morris’s primary objective was to unlawfully acquire government and private properties. His operation included cases involving AMC and private parties, with significant financial stakes tied to the fraudulent arbitration orders.
With the FIR now lodged, Morris faces legal action, marking the end of his elaborate scheme to masquerade as a judicial authority.
