Row over degree: 'Delhi Law Minister Jitender Tomar was bonafide student'

New Delhi: Delhi Law minister Jitender Singh Tomar was a “bonafide student” for three years in a law college in Bihar and has completed his degree from there, the Delhi High Court was informed on Wednesday. The information was submitted to Justice Rajiv Shakdher by Tomar’s counsel who also said that the college met the standards prescribed by the Bar Council of India and claimed that a writ petition challenging it was filed with “malafide intention to malign the good reputation” of the Bishwanath Singh Institute of Legal Study College in Munger. [caption id=“attachment_2265936” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar. AFPhi[/caption] “So far as information regarding respondent no.5 (Tomar) are concerned, the records reveals that Jitender Singh Tomar.. was a student of this college in LLB Part I, II, and III in the session 1994-95, 1995-96 and 1997-98 respectively,” the affidavit filed by the Institute’s principal said. The content of the affidavit was made known to the court by senior advocate AS Chandhiok, appearing for Tomar, during hearing of his application seeking direction to Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) to provide him copy of the inquiry report against him and the material available with the Council. Relying on college affidavit, Tomar’s counsel claimed that the Law Minster was a bonafide student for three years. Tomar’s counsel alleged that BCD has not provided him copy of the inquiry report but forwarded it to the Delhi Police instead. On hearing this, the court passed an order asking BCD to supply all relevant documents and the material on the basis of which the Council have proceeded against him, to Tomar. It also asked the Minister to cooperate with the enquiry initiated by BCD. During the hearing, senior advocate Chetan Sharma, who appeared for advocate Ripu Daman Singh Bhardwaj on whose complaint BCD issued notice to Tomar and sought his response, opposed Chandhiok’s submission and said that “more time they (Law Minister) are given, they can cover the up the issue” relating to alleged fake law degree. PTI