Pune: Chargesheet Filed Against Eight Individuals Involved in Bogus Education Boards and Certificate Scam
Pune, 29th June 2023: A comprehensive 370-page chargesheet has been filed against eight individuals, including the main accused, for their involvement in setting up fake 11 boards and universities and distributing certificates to 2,739 students. The investigation conducted by the police revealed that the accused accepted amounts ranging from Rs 35,000 to Rs 80,000 in exchange for issuing fraudulent mark sheets and other documents.
The accused have been identified as Syed Imran Syed Ibrahim (38, residing in Sambhajinagar), Sandeep Gyandev Kamble (residing in Dudhari, Sangli), Aftab Abdul Shaikh (29, M.P. Kumbhephal, Osmanabad), Krishna Sonaji Giri (39, residing in Krishnapur, Bidkin, Sambhajinagar), Jamal Ajgar Sheikh (36, residing in Panjarpol, Mumbai), Mahesh alias Munib Dayashankar Vishwakarma (35, residing in Chandivali, Mumbai), Sandeep Kumar Shamlashankar Gupta (33, residing in Hanumannagar, Kurla), and Jagdish Ramesh Pathak (33, residing in Raigad).
The main accused, Syed Imran, initiated a website named ‘Maharashtra State Open School (MSOS)’ in 2019. Despite lacking the authority to charge fees or conduct examinations, the accused offered certificates to students and collected fees in collaboration with an NGO.
The chargesheet details how the accused duped students, accepting payments ranging from Rs 35,000 to Rs 80,000. The accused are charged with providing certificates for 10th, 12th, B.Sc, B.Com, BA, Diploma ITI, Engineering, and Nursing to a total of 2,739 students.
The investigation into the scam was carried out by a team comprising Assistant Commissioner of Police Narayan Shirgaonkar, Police Naik Gajanan Solvankar, and Police Constable Rahul Holkar. Cyber expert Kapil Jain played a crucial role in the technical investigation.
The accused established online universities and boards such as Ejwaj University, University, Amdus University, MBTEE Board, MSOS (Maharashtra State Open School), Maharashtra State Open School, MRMV (Maharashtra State Open University), ASOS University, and BSEM (Board of Secondary Education Marathwada).
The Pune Police have urged students who obtained certificates from the accused to promptly submit them for further investigation. “Employers and organizations are also requested to report any individuals who may have secured employment based on fake certificates. Stringent action will be taken against those found guilty”, said Narayan Shirgaonkar, Assistant Commissioner of Police.
