In a significant legal development, the Allahabad High Court has admitted a petition challenging the academic credentials of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. The petition accuses Maurya of using a fraudulent degree to obtain a petrol pump license and to qualify for electoral candidacy.
The case, initiated by RTI activist Diwakar Nath Tripathi, asserts that Maurya acquired a degree from the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan in Prayagraj—a university deemed ‘fake’ by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Tripathi’s legal challenge also demands that a case be registered against Maurya for these allegations.
Previously, the high court had dismissed this petition due to its submission after the stipulated deadline. However, following an appeal to the Supreme Court, a directive was issued to reconsider the case by condoning the delay.
The initial dismissal occurred because Tripathi approached the high court 300 days post the deadline, after a lower court had given only a month to file a revision petition. Despite the high court’s initial dismissal, the Supreme Court’s intervention has brought new life to the allegations, mandating a review based on the merits of the case.
