Conman 'judge' arrested in India for running fake court

Indian police have arrested an alleged conman accused of spending nearly five years pretending to be a judge and ruling on various disputes in a fake tribunal he set up himself.

Morris Samuel Christian promised people in the western state of Gujarat swift rulings on land disputes in exchange for a heavy fee, presiding over cases in an office furnished to look like a genuine court, according to a document issued by a local judge.

Christian, who is in his 40s, appeared in actual court on Tuesday on charges of impersonation, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy, broadcaster India Today reported.

The alleged fraud came to light when a resident in the state's Ahmedabad city approached a real court regarding a land trade worth a billion dollars.

"(Christian) created a fake tribunal...creating the atmosphere of a court by keeping lawyers present, by behaving like a judge...and by making it all appear as real court proceedings," Ahmedabad city court Judge J. L. Chovatiya said in a written order.

This is not Christian's first run-in with law enforcement.

He was jailed for three months in 2007 for practising as a lawyer despite the state's bar council saying he had no valid law degree.