Durgapur Police in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district have busted a major fraudulent network involved in manufacturing forged academic certificates under the names of reputed universities across the country. During the operation, law enforcement authorities recovered a substantial stash of fake degrees, semester marksheets, diplomas, and migration certificates. Initial investigations indicate that these forged documents were supplied to clients seeking government jobs, college admissions, and employment promotions. Police have arrested one suspect connected to the operation, while the alleged mastermind remains at large.
How a Bag Kept in a Neighbor's Car Exposed the Scam
The fraudulent operation unravelled after the alleged mastermind, Parimal Baburao Gaurkar, entrusted a cloth bag stored inside a car to his neighbor, Vaibhav Ganpatrao Mashirkar, for safekeeping. When Gaurkar later returned to collect the bag, Mashirkar grew suspicious of his conduct and questioned him directly about the contents of the documents. During the conversation, Gaurkar reportedly disclosed that the papers were custom forged academic credentials used by buyers to secure public sector employment, higher education seats, and job promotions.
Gaurkar revealed that the racket charged anywhere from 5 lakh to 10 lakh rupees for providing these illegitimate documents depending on the buyer's requirements. Alarmed by this disclosure, Mashirkar personally examined the contents of the bag and discovered numerous degrees and certificates bearing the names of various educational institutions. He promptly alerted Durgapur Police, who inspected the bag in his presence and formally seized the illegal inventory.
Forged Certificates and Fake Seals of Top Universities Seized
The scope of the seized material spans multiple prominent universities in Maharashtra and other states. Among the forged certificates seized were those printed under the names of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Solapur University, and Gondwana University. Furthermore, documents carrying the fake titles of Sridhar University Pilani in Rajasthan, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University in Kanpur, and an unnamed university based in Karnataka were also recovered during the police raid.
Investigating officers confirmed that the confiscated material includes bachelor's and master's degree certificates, semester marksheets, diploma papers, and migration certificates. To make the documents appear authentic, the perpetrators utilized counterfeit official seals and forged signatures of university authorities. The degree of replication made it extraordinarily difficult for an untrained eye to distinguish the fake certificates from genuine ones.
Mastermind Lawyer Absconding as Millions Found in Bank Accounts
Police have arrested Vaibhav Sonule in connection with the case. Interrogations revealed that Sonule has completed education up to the 12th standard and is a relative of the main suspect, Parimal Gaurkar. In contrast, the absconding primary accused, Parimal Gaurkar, is a practicing lawyer who allegedly leveraged his professional background to manage the illegal enterprise. Police teams are executing raids across multiple suspected locations to track him down.
Financial probes have unearthed significant monetary trails linked to the operation. Investigators traced transactions worth crores of rupees across four bank accounts held by Gaurkar at Canara Bank, Axis Bank, and HDFC Bank. Police are scrutinizing account statements to determine the source of these funds and identify individuals who transferred money for purchasing fake credentials. Additionally, authorities discovered three to four vehicles purchased under third-party names, taking some into custody, while also investigating a high-value flat located in Nagpur as a potential benami asset.
Wider Investigation into Beneficiaries of Fake Degree Racket
A formal criminal case has been registered at Durgapur police station under relevant legal provisions. The investigation is being conducted by Sub-Inspector Ravindra Nakkanwar under the supervision of Police Inspector Santosh Shegaonkar. Authorities strongly suspect that the operation extends beyond document printing, potentially reaching deep into recruitment processes and educational admissions.
The current phase of the probe focuses on identifying individuals who successfully obtained government positions, university seats, or department promotions using these forged papers. Police officials stated that further arrests and key disclosures regarding the network, intermediaries, and beneficiaries are anticipated as financial audits proceed and the absconding suspect is apprehended.
