In a significant crackdown on maritime fraud, the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) has exposed a sophisticated racket involved in forging crucial documents required for securing employment on ships. The investigation, which led to a formal case being registered by the Kanjurmarg police, revealed that fake Certificates of Competency (CoCs) were being created and used to land jobs without candidates passing the mandatory examinations.
How the Forgery Racket Was Uncovered
The scam first came to the attention of officials during a routine check. They discovered a major discrepancy involving a candidate named Mishal Anand. Records showed that Anand's CoC booklet number had been uploaded into the system, but there was no evidence that he had ever actually appeared for the required examination. This red flag triggered a deeper audit of the system by the DG Shipping's technical and nautical teams.
The probe took a more serious turn when it was found that the fraudulent entry for Anand was made using login credentials assigned to the Kolkata examination centre. Further scrutiny revealed that two specific login IDs had been misused to upload dozens of illegitimate records into the official database.
Scale of the Fraud: Over 100 Fake Entries
The full extent of the forgery operation was staggering. The inquiry identified a total of 102 fraudulent entries across two key departments. Specifically, 46 fake entries were found in the engineering department, and another 56 were discovered in the nautical department.
To understand the real-world impact, DG Shipping officials traced the employment details of the candidates involved. They collected 24 physical CoC booklets from various shipping companies for verification. Upon examination, three of these booklets were confirmed to be outright forgeries. The remaining booklets are suspected to be linked to manipulated digital entries in the system, meaning the certificates themselves may be genuine but were issued based on fraudulent exam results.
Implications and Official Statements
Officials stated that the accused candidates allegedly used these fake CoCs to qualify for critical and high-responsibility positions on ships. These mandatory documents are required for roles such as chief engineer, second engineer, and electro technical officer. By bypassing the essential examinations, unqualified individuals potentially secured jobs that demand specific technical expertise and knowledge, posing a significant risk to maritime safety and operations.
The case, now with the Kanjurmarg police, underscores a serious vulnerability in the certification process for maritime professionals. It highlights the need for enhanced digital security and stricter verification protocols to prevent such frauds that compromise safety at sea.
