A law degree of a Brigadier heading the legal branch of the Army’s Western Command could turn out to be not so legal.
Brigadier Anil Kumar Srivastava is in a spot after the Choudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut informed Army headquarters that it never awarded him any law degree.
Srivastava serves as the Deputy Judge Advocate General (DJAG) in the Western Command in Chandimandir and is responsible for all legal matters of the command, besides being tasked to give legal advice on disciplinary matters of the Army.
The university responded to a letter written by the Judge Advocate General’s branch in the Army Headquarters. The Army's letter was written on November 15.
It had asked for confirmation whether the Brigadier had passed the LLB exams in all semesters in April 1971 to make him eligible for the degree. The LLB degree is a must for officers serving JAG branches.
The letter also asked for a copy of the degree along with all marksheets for official verification.
The university responded, stating that the LLB course by Srivastava was incomplete, therefore no degree was given.
The university’s investigation has shown that Srivastava failed in the third semester securing 129 out of 300. He also did not appear for the fifth semester. He sat for the sixth semester, securing 189 out of 300, but his marksheet was incomplete because of the two earlier semesters.
{{/usCountry}}The university’s investigation has shown that Srivastava failed in the third semester securing 129 out of 300. He also did not appear for the fifth semester. He sat for the sixth semester, securing 189 out of 300, but his marksheet was incomplete because of the two earlier semesters.
{{/usCountry}}A complaint against Srivastava was filed before the Western Command headquarters by an ex-serviceman earlier this year.
In October, HT had filed a report on the matter after speaking to Srivastav. But the Western Command did not comment.
Speaking to HT at the time, Srivastava had conceded that he did not complete his LLB degree from Meerut University before joining the Army in 1971.
Contacted again after the fresh developments, Srivastava said over phone that he did possess an LLB degree. Asked how this could have happened, he dismissed the question saying: “Arre kahin se kisi nein likhwa liya hoga (Somebody must have got it done from somewhere)”.