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TNS Explainer: The scam of fake doctorates to popular actors in TN and how the con came to light!

By alagu, 03 March, 2023
Vadivelu, Anna University, Chennai, Tamilnadu

India's national emblem, citation of marking 75 years of India's Independence, and emboldened venue name on its invitation would certainly make you think that the International Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Council has been conferring legitimate doctorates to prominent people, but the fact is that the council has conned these people by exhibiting that they are recognized by the Indian government. 

Shockingly, this alleged scam of fake doctorates was being unfolded for over a year and eventually, it has now come to light, thanks to the council's recent event that was organized at Anna University. When the invitation carries a prominent venue like Anna University, little did the recipients of doctorates know that they are being victimized by the council. 

A league of popular people like music director Deva, television personalities Gokul Gajaraj, Erode Mahesh, and choreographer Sandy have received honorary doctorates from the International Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Council last Sunday - February 26 in an event that was organized at Anna University. Moreover, the council members have visited popular comedian Vadivelu's home and handed over the doctorate to him. Last year, the council has conferred the doctorate to various stars and as nothing went against it, it has continued its trend. 

When the council members locked Anna University as their venue for Sunday's event, the group has been caught red-handedly and the scam of fake doctorates has come to light. So, what's International Anti-Corruption and Human Rights Council and it's background? As per its data, it has been registered as an NGO and it is based in Chennai. The council claims to be an inter-governmental body within the United Nations responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights.

However, the council neither has displayed its data nor it has shown any events and works it had carried out in connection to fighting against corruption and for human rights. The council has overtly violated the norms and mandates for conferring a honorary doctorate to an individual. As per the act, NGOs can't confer honoraray doctorates in India. The council has deferred this mandate and secondly, the honorary doctorates can be awarded only by the universities with the concurrence from the University Grants Commission (UGC). 

Such honours would be presented to people who have done exemplary contributions. The council has put this mandate on air and went on to organize events and award doctorates to the prominent people. What has become an interesting affair is that the council itself has acknowledged that trading doctorates is a source of its funds. As per its data, the council has said, "To get funds from the candidates to provide them the Honorary Doctorate and various other things", as its purpose. 

Startlingly, several of the honorary doctorates from the council were conferred to the recipients by former Madras High Court judge Justice TN Vallinayagam. As the council's scam has come to light, Vallinayagam has been issuing an apology to the people and asserting that he had no idea that the council members were conmen. As the scam has drawn a huge attention, the popular recipients of the doctorate are left in a lurch as they have been disappointed over the events that are being unfolded. 

How the scam came to light?

When the council members conducted their Sunday's event at Anna University, it became a spoilsport as while the recipients believed that the council would be legitimate as the event has been organized at a top university, the administration of the varsity has gone suspicious and it has called for a probe against the conmen. It was reported that the council has acquired a letter from former judge Vallinayagam and presented it to the officials of Anna University to conduct the event at its premises. 

For the recipients, it looked like Anna University itself was conferring honorary doctorates to them and they took part in the event and received the honour. Later, it came to revelation that Anna University has nothing to do with the doctorates and that it has given a space to host the event, with no idea that the council has been offering fake doctorates. Looking at its list of awardees, there are popular youtubers, celebrities including Yogi Babu, KS Ravikumar, D Imman, Parthiban, and Raghava Lawrence. The council has even awarded the doctorate to children. 

Last October, the council has organized an event at DMK's Anbagam in Chennai. After Sunday's event at Anna University, the fact about the council's fake doctorates has been exhumed. Speaking to Times Of India, the officials of Anna University said that the auditorium is rented to organisations and not to individuals. On Wednesday- March 1, Anna University Vice-Chancellor R Velraj addressed the reporters and said, "If any people try to misuse and portray the elite institution's name in a bad light, the university will initiate legal action against them." 

An official attached to the varsity said, "We will conduct a formal inquiry and then submit a complaint to the police." Justice Vallinayagam has said that he has never given such recommendation letters in his entire career. He claimed that he attended the event as a guest and said that the university could have called him to verify the letter's authenticity. Vallinayagam's response has come after vice-chancellor Velraj's remarks that his letter made the varsity to provide a space to the council for their event. 

Velraj said that the council has asked the dean of the College of Engineering last November to provide a space for rent for half a day. Velraj further said that as the dean denied the council's request, the council members came back on January with the recommendation letter from Justice Vallinayagam. The university accepted to provide a space to the council by believing that the letter was authentic. Last Sunday, about 40 people including actors and youtubers were conferred with honorary doctorates. As comedian Vadivelu didn't come to the venue, the council members went to his home directly to confer the doctorate. 

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Comedian Vadivelu is conferred with the Honorary Doctorate by the council 

 

By citing that the recommendation letter could have been fake, Velraj stated that former judge Vallinayagam could have also been conned by the council members. The event was held on Sunday during a time when the campus was largely deserted. "An honorary doctorate can be provided only by universities, not by any private organisations. People who received it also weren't aware of it. We feel sorry that such an event has taken place on our campus. We will initiate legal proceedings against the organisers", Velraj added. As the council has come under trouble, it's website has been suspended and its director Harish Raju has absconded. 

 

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