IMPHAL, October 21: A combined team of the Special Investigation Unit and the Narcotic Cell has busted a fake educational certificates racket in the state yesterday with the arrest of two persons involved in the racket and recovering several fake certificates, rubber seals, computer sets.
The racket was about providing students with fake educational certificates issued by the Manipur University, Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur and Board of Secondary Education, Manipur.
According to the authorities, the racket had been running since about eight years raising apprehension that several individuals may have used the fake certificates to get appointment in government services and to get admission in professional courses.
SIU, Inspector K Ranjit produced the two arrested gang members along with the recovered items before media persons this evening during a press conference at the SIU office.
Speaking to media persons, the Inspector said the racket was exposed during a raid conducted by the join team.
Elaborating further, the SIU Inspector opined that the prices of the certificates quoted by the two arrested during investigation is too low, and it is hard to believe that.
He continued that following a tip off regarding the presence of certain individuals involved in a racket of producing fake certificates, a combined team conducted a raid at a house located at Chingmeirong Khongang Ani Karak Yengkhoi Bazar yesterday evening around 6:30pm.
The house belongs to one Konjengbam Sunil, 40 son of (L) Achouba of Moirang Mairenbam Leikai, who has been arrested. The team also seized 175 seals (both round and line) from the house.
Following Sunil’s own confession, the team raided another house at Kairang Mamang Leikai and arrested Lourembam Basanta, 81 son of Mangi. The team also recovered a computer set used in printing the fake documents and 54 rubbers stamps from his residence, he said.
The seals recovered from the two include that of the Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur, Institute of Management Studies, Manipur University, Principal Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Board of Secondary Education Manipur, DC Imphal West, SP, CIT and DM College etc.
The SIU Inspector further informed that the blank certificates seized were those of COHSEM, BOSEM, MU and added that the fake racket had been running for the past eight years.
He further expressed his apprehension that since the racket has been running for such a long time, there might have been several individuals who had used the fake certificates to gain government appointment or to study professional studies like MBBS and BE.
He also informed that investigation is on to identify all those who have bought fake certificates from the gang and trace them all out.