'Fake' doctorates: Chennai police registers case

CHENNAI: The Chennai police on Thursday registered a case against Harish, director of International Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Council, under seven Sections of IPC in connection with alleged distribution of fake honorary doctorates to celebrities at a function in Anna university.

The police registered the case based on a complaint from Ravi Kumar, registrar in charge Anna University. The case is slapped under six IPC Sections, including for criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery among others.

With controversy rising over distributing fake honorary doctorates to celebrities, Anna University had already said that strict action will be taken against those who misused the auditorium of the institution.

The International Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Council rented the university hall and distributed doctorates for celebrities, including music director Deva, on Sunday.

Doctorate for actor Vadivelu was handed over to him at his residence. University vice chancellor R Velraj had on Wednesday said that the permission to hire the institution's hall was mistakenly given since the authorities concerned in the institutions thought that it was just a function.

Meanwhile in a video released on social media, Harish claimed that he had not cheated anyone and that his organisation has permission from the authority to distribute honorary doctorate.

However, university officials on Wednesday asserted that the honorary doctorates should be given only by universities and not to private organisations.