Wrongly Accused of a Fake Degree: How Can I Seek Justice and Compensation After Job Loss?

Hi to all the seniors, I was working in a Captive Unit of a Foreign Company in early 2001 AD in NCR, Uttar Pradesh. After one month of my joining the service, they sent me a Speed Post/Registered letter saying that the Bachelor's degree copy submitted by me in the company is not genuine. They did not even furnish any proof of the same to me. However, my degree is fully genuine. In the letter/notice, they provided me with a 7-day deadline to prove the authenticity of my degree from the date mentioned on the notice, but I received the notice 10 days after the date mentioned.

As the notice arrived 3 days after the deadline, I had no time to prove the genuineness of my degree. I have proof of receiving the notice with the stamp of the General Post Office, which is dated 10 days after the notice's deadline, i.e., 3 days later than the last date provided to me. Consequently, it has been around 3.5 years since they terminated my employment on the grounds of a fake degree. The company conducts third-party checks, and I believe that incorrect information was provided by the third party or possibly by the concerned University officers.

After my termination, I have not worked in any organization and have faced financial distress, debt, mental sickness, and trauma due to the loss of my job on false grounds of holding a fake degree. I have hospital tickets and prescriptions from government and private hospitals.

Given that it has been 3.5 years, and I have not been employed since, I withdrew my Provident Fund from the same company due to extreme financial distress.

Legal Remedies and Compensation

1. Are there any legal remedies available to me now?
2. Is it possible to seek compensation if I can prove that false allegations were made against me regarding the fake degree? What is the procedure, and what compensation could be expected?
3. Can I claim salary from the date of termination until a judgment is reached in a court of law?
4. Which competent authorities can I seek help from, such as the Human Rights Commission, Ministry of HRD, or others?

I appreciate all the seniors who can provide guidance and assistance in this challenging situation.

Regards, Zoya Ghaziabad, NCR, UP

Response to Notice and Legal Considerations

You cannot do anything now. Forget the date on the letter; when a notice says you need to respond within 7 days, it does mean "Respond within 7 days from the receipt of this letter." Had you responded within 7 days of receiving the letter, things could have been different. Forget 7 days; had you responded even after a month, the company might have considered you. But now it is too late.

Mental Health and Defamation Concerns

Can you prove that your mental sickness was only due to the loss of the job? No.

The company never branded you as a fake degree holder in public. They sent you a letter to prove your claim. You never responded. This, by no means, can be called "branding." There is no defamation here.

Implications of Submitting Medical Records

Submitting doctors' or psychiatrists' prescriptions would land you in even more trouble. Prospective companies would ask for a fitness certificate to hire you. Even then, they will have reservations about hiring you.

Legal Timeframe and Moving Forward

Even if we agree with your argument for the sake of it, you don't have any rights as it has been 3.5 years. There is a limitation period of 3 years for these issues.

The best thing is to forget and move on to a new job.

Degree Authenticity and Legal Action

I am not saying your certificate is fake. The reason could be that the university from which you completed your degree was not a recognized one. In such a case, you are a victim and can file a lawsuit against the university. I don't think the limitation clause applies here.

Regards.

Dear Zoya, all our friends' statements are correct. You lost precious years by not pursuing your case in the manner it should have been handled. As a last resort, consider consulting an advocate and giving it a try to see if this company still exists.