PIL : Allegations of false identities and forged documents, Court orders forensic examination

Allahabad High Court Orders Forensic Examination in PIL Forgery Case Allegations of Fraud and Impersonation in Public Interest Litigations Prompt Judicial Intervention

In a significant development from the Allahabad High Court, a bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra has ordered a forensic examination to investigate allegations of forgery, impersonation, and abuse of legal process in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) case filed by Sangeeta Gupta against the State of Uttar Pradesh and others. The court's directive came in light of serious accusations about fabricated signatures and false identities being used in court proceedings.

The case, officially registered as PIL No. 450 of 2025, raised concerns about the integrity of the legal process, involving allegations that Sangeeta Gupta, along with advocates A.P. Singh and Ashraf Ali, engaged in filing frivolous petitions with forged documents. These claims were detailed in an affidavit by the son of the manager of Fateh Memorial Inter College, which highlighted suspicious activities, including the use of a fictional identity for advocate Ashraf Ali and the forgery of signatures on legal documents.

The court's order, dated November 13, 2025, specifically mandates a forensic analysis of disputed signatures to determine their authenticity. The Registrar General has been instructed to provide original documents to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Lucknow for a thorough examination. The documents include the original writ petition, the withdrawal application, and order sheet pages with the contested signatures.

The court deferred its decision on the merits of the PIL but emphasized the need to ascertain the truth behind the allegations of forgery and impersonation. This move aims to uphold judicial integrity and prevent the misuse of court proceedings, which could potentially undermine public trust in the legal system.

The investigation stems from numerous petitions linked to Sangeeta Gupta, Ashraf Ali, and A.P. Singh, with claims that they exploited PILs for personal agendas. The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 6, 2026, by which time it expects the forensic report to shed light on the authenticity of the signatures in question.

Statutory provision(s): Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) Section 379.

Sangeeta Gupta v. State of U.P., (Allahabad)(DB) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2809379