'Cop didn't appear for exam, but was given a law degree'

Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer KL Bishnoi was playing golf at the Chembur Club, when his final year law examination was being held at Siddharth Law College, alleged Chitra Salunkhe, who was the examiner for the practical exam, before the Bombay High Court on Monday.

Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer KL Bishnoi was playing golf at the Chembur Club, when his final year law examination was being held at Siddharth Law College, alleged Chitra Salunkhe, who was the examiner for the practical exam, before the Bombay High Court on Monday.

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Salunkhe moved the high court last year alleging Bishnoi, posted as special inspector general of police with Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission, passed his final LLB exam without appearing for the practical exam on March 12, 2005.

Salunkhe had been appointed as examiner by the University of Mumbai to conduct the practical for which a written list of 15 candidates was given to her. The then acting principal of Siddharth Law College, Ashok Inamdar not only added Bishnoi’s name to the list, but also awarded 50 marks to him, states her petition.

When she inquired with Inamdar about granting marks to an absent candidate, he told her that he had taken Bishnoi’s practical exam an hour before the scheduled time, as the officer had to go out of the city.

On Monday, Bishnoi's lawyer, Shirish Gupte said the officer had to go out of the city for an important case, and so appeared before Inamdar at 7 am, instead of the scheduled time at 8.30 am.

Salunkhe's lawyer VM Thorat, said Bishnoi had not gone out of the city on the day of the exam. He told the court that information obtained under the Right to Information Act revealed that Bishnoi was playing golf at a Chembur Club from 7 am to 9 am on March 12, 2005.

The division bench of Justice B.H. Marlapalle and Justice Anoop Mohta directed the state to produce reports of two inquiries conducted into the matter by the police department.