Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, who is involved in a turf war with All India Institute of Medical Sciences Director P Venugopal, on Monday had to face some strong words from the Delhi High Court, which directed the minister to put his signature on the certificates of medical graduates and others within 24 hours.

The direction came from Justice S Ravinder Bhatt who also apparently disapproved of the running battle between the minister and the eminent cardiac surgeon telling them, "You are using the court as a tool, which I won't allow."

"You are resorting to shadow boxing," he told the minister's counsel during arguments on a petition filed by resident doctors and medical students who were not getting their certificates on time because of the refusal of the minister to sign them along with the Registrar who he contends has been illegally appointed.

"The Union minister shall affix the signatures on 49 certificates/degrees as well as such other certificates of the students who need these to take admission for higher studies. The minister shall sign the certificates within 24 hours," Justice Bhatt said.

The court also directed the AIIMS authorities to immediately forward these certificates to the minister's office so that these could be sent to him by flight as he was in Chennai.

"The 49 degrees/certificates forwarded to the minister containing the signature of Sandeep Agarwal, Registrar, shall be deemed to have been validly executed, the court said.