Mangaluru: The City Crime Branch (CCB) police led by Inspector Valentine D’Souza have busted a bogus marks card scam and arrested two persons in this connection.
The arrested are Askhan Sheikh (22), a resident of Chembugudde, Permannooru and Gautham R (32), a resident of Raikatte, Kuloor. A computer hard disk, three laptops, mobile phones, printer, hologram stickers and 18 bogus seals were recovered from the accused.
City Police Commissioner M Chandra Sekhar said that Sheikh started an institute named ‘Mangalore Institiute of Management and Engineering’ in June 2015 abiding by all legal procedures. He then came in contact with Gautham – owner of GK International Councelling Services and started procuring bogus certificates in Gautham’s firm.
The accused used to print bogus certificates in the name of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, AgraAlpha Institute of Management and Technogical Science VTU, Belgaum, Shridhar University, Pilani, Rajasthan, Techo Globe University, Shillong, Karnataka State Open University, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management, Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University, Assam, All India Higher Education Board, Mangalore Institute of Management and Engineering and Alpha Institute of Management and Technology Science, Bengaluru. Bogus SSLC marks cards were being printed in the name of Mangalore Public School,
Among the accused, Askan Sheikh set up Mangalore Institute of Management and Engineering in June 2015, but in the bogus certificates he sold to several students, he mentioned that the student studied in the institution in 2010. Askan himself is pursuing engineering from a college, while Gautam owns GK International Consultancy Services.
Over 150 bogus certificates have been issued so far, the Commissioner said and suspected that there may be involvement of more hands in the crime.
Terming this as an inter-state crime, the Commissioner said that Askhan has accomplices in Delhi and Bengaluru among other cities.
Special teams from Mangaluru may travel to other states to unearth more details.
