Probe reveals 4,000 fake LLB students
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has told the Supreme Court that 3,997 students belonging to affiliated law colleges of Multan’s Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) are suspected to be “non-genuine”—people who tried to sit the LLB exam without ever attending classes.
In a report submitted to the apex court, the FIA said its joint investigation team (JIT)—together with officials of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC)—quizzed the relevant BZU officials and owners of law colleges on order of the top court.
It said the team perused the BZU record and found that 3,997 students were suspected to be non-genuine, adding that 2,230 remaining students were also under probe but so far nothing adverse had come out against them.
“The JIT recommends [registering] a case against the delinquent BZU officials and law colleges as submitted before [the SC] at the previous hearing dated May 4, 2023.
“It recommends that the system of affiliation of law colleges, registration of students, deposition of fee and attendance of students should be improved as a safeguard [against] any further fraud and scam," it said.
The report said during initial inquiry, it surfaced that the BZU registration branch shared data of 11,396 students with the Controller Examination for LLB Part-I second annual exam of 2019.
"Out of them, 6,227 students were allowed to [sit the exam] while 5,169 students were barred by the controller examination from appearing in the exams due to different reasons.
“Those 5,169 students who were barred from appearing in LLB. Part-I Second Annual 2019 exam were found to be non-genuine by the Controller Examination of the BZU. The JIT also found these students deficient and lacking in different aspects.”
It said this scam was going on with the connivance of the BZU registration branch. It said later the list of 5,169 students was divided in different categories as per irregularities.
The report said according to the SC’s May 4 order, the JIT visited a few law colleges, interviewed students and the BZU administration along with a new affiliation committee and also collected records from the BZU for identification of fake/ghost law colleges.
The JIT found that the BZU’s current affiliation committee conducted surprise visits to the law colleges in September 2022 and compiled a report on the deficiencies of these colleges.
"On the basis of the report, previous record of affiliation and other evidence, 26 law colleges were found to be ghost law colleges and all of their remaining students seem to be non-genuine,” it said.
The FIA said in the previous report submitted to the court on May 4, it has already been submitted that fee vouchers submitted by Muhammadan Law College, Multan and Pakistan Law College, Pakpattan were fake, bearing fake and fabricated stamps of banks.
"The probe committee of the BZU verified from the concerned bank and found fake vouchers valuing Rs3,000,000/- pertaining to Muhammadan Law College, Multan and of Rs1,200,000/- of Pakistan Law College Pakpattan.”
After the direction of the court on May 4, the JIT collected fee receipts of all law colleges deposited to the BZU for registration and examination purposes. The JIT also provided an MS Excel Sheet to the registration branch for getting money trail of the cash received from every student.
The JIT through a written notice directed all law colleges to submit fee vouchers of all their students under inquiry and provide a copy of the MS Excel Sheet. Only nine law colleges provided data to the JIT.
The report said the JIT thoroughly checked the particulars and credentials of 6,227 students as per criteria of admission and eligibility for appearing in exams in order to determine their bona fide.
"The attendance record was also checked. According to the criteria of the university, 75 percent of attendance is mandatory for LLB students.
"The principals of colleges submitted certificates of 75 percent attendance with the BZU. However, it [was found] that there are students who are government servants and many of them are posted and residing in other districts. It is not possible for them to attend law college.
"The respective colleges provided attendance sheets to the university which seem to be fabricated. The colleges have not made arrangements for biometric attendance.”
It said prima facie all colleges prepared fake attendance sheets. 645 candidates were found to be employees of the Punjab government posted in different districts of the province while 93 candidates were found to be employees of the federal government.
“It is not possible for the entire 738 candidates (officials/officers of Provincial Government/Federal Government) to attend the classes regularly due to their posting in far flung areas.
"Among 738 candidates, not a single candidate provided study leave to this agency. However, a negligible number of students provided departmental NOC [no-objection certificate]," it said.