SIT Arrests Another Middleman in Multi-State Fake Degree Gang Operation
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Kanpur has made a significant breakthrough by arresting another key middleman connected to a sprawling fake degree gang that has been operating across 14 universities in nine different states. The accused, identified as Shekhu alias Azharuddin Khan, is alleged to have been instrumental in procuring counterfeit marksheets for Class X and Class XII from Jamia Urdu Aligarh.
Confession and Links to Mastermind Revealed
SIT in-charge and ADCP South Yogesh Kumar stated that during intensive interrogation, Shekhu confessed to working directly under the gang's mastermind. He provided crucial information about Shoaib, a contractual worker at a college in Aligarh, who is currently evading arrest. The SIT team emphasized that apprehending Shoaib could potentially expose the involvement of college staff members in this elaborate fraud scheme.
Financial Transactions and University Connections
Shekhu disclosed detailed financial aspects of the operation, revealing that he would obtain fake marksheets for Rs 12,000 each. He would then pay Rs 10,000 to Shoaib for processing these documents before forwarding them to the gang's kingpin. Further investigation has uncovered Shekhu's connection to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan University in Bhopal. Although no incriminating documents were found in his possession, authorities plan to contact the university to thoroughly probe his potential involvement there.
Major Raid and Seizure of Documents
On February 18, the Kidwai Nagar police conducted a decisive raid at the office of Shail Group of Education located at Juhi Gaushala. This operation resulted in the seizure of over 1,000 marksheets and degrees from 14 universities spread across nine states. The confiscated documents included credentials from Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad in Prayagraj and Jamia Urdu College in Aligarh.
The seized materials encompassed a wide range of fraudulent qualifications:
- BTech and MTech degrees
- BPharma and DPharma certificates
- LLB diplomas
- High school and intermediate marksheets
Previous Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
Prior to Shekhu's arrest, police had already apprehended four key accused individuals: gang mastermind Shailendra Kumar Ojha, Nagesh Mani Tripathi, Jogendra, and Ashwani Kumar Singh. Subsequently, they also arrested Vineet from Noida, with all accused currently in judicial custody. It was during the interrogation of these individuals that Shekhu's critical role in the operation came to light.
Verification of CSJMU Degrees
ADCP Yogesh Kumar further revealed that during the raid, authorities discovered 371 degrees from Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj University (CSJMU) in Kanpur. Upon meticulous verification, 369 of these degrees were confirmed as genuine, while two were identified as counterfeit. One of these fake documents was a BA degree, highlighting the gang's sophisticated operation in producing fraudulent academic credentials.
The investigation continues as authorities work to dismantle the entire network and bring all involved parties to justice.
