Fake certificate racket busted
By Our Staff Reporter
CUDDAPAH, AUG. 8. The Proddatur police arrested a three-member gang from the town, which issued fake pass certificates and provisional marks lists of post-graduate and degree courses, Intermediate and SSC, by using fake seals and forging signatures of eight universities in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the Superintendent of Police, V.C. Sajjanar, said on Sunday.
Addressing a press conference here, he said the police also seized over 5,000 pass certificates, marks lists, transfer certificates and around 275 round seals, a computer, printer and furniture by raiding the `Rayalaseema Distance Education Centre.'
Three arrested
The kingpin of the gang, Venkata Balaji (45), who started the education centre in 1992, owner of R.K. Computers, Sagili Sivarami Reddy (45), and a computer operator, S.K. Mahaboob Basha, were arrested by the Proddatur Urban CI, S.R. Rajasekhar Raju, and Proddatur III Town SI, M.D. Shareef.
The certificates, seals and logos that were seized belonged to Osmania, Andhra, Sri Krishnadevaraya and Sri Venkateswara Universities in Andhra Pradesh, Annamalai and Madurai Kamaraj universities in Tamil Nadu, and Mysore, Gulbarga and Kuvempu universities in Karnataka, the SP stated. Venkata Balaji, a native of Proddatur, who worked as an assistant editor in the Chennai film industry during 1980-85 returned to Proddatur after marriage.
He started a distance education centre in 1992 and began providing one-sitting degree certificates of Annamalai University to candidates by charging around Rs. 1,500, Mr. Sajjanar stated. He began preparation of fake degree marks lists to facilitate candidates get admission to Annamalai and Madurai Kamaraj universities, by contacting lower-level staff of the controller of examinations at Chidamabaram and Madurai and secured original marks list proformas and other certificates and seals.
Certificates for jobs too
Balaji also did so in the case of four universities in the State and two universities in Karnataka. He also prepared fake pass certificates of several colleges and schools and issued Intermediate and SSC marks lists and pass certificates, besides certificates for bank loans and jobs. The dropouts of several parts of the State including Hyderabad, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were issued fake certificates, with the help of which several persons secured employment abroad, the SP said. He also started a branch at Nagamallithota in Kakinada, which drew no response.
