Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Sep 28: Koramangala police in the city have succeeded in unearthing a marks card and certificate scam in which duplicate marks cards and degree certificates of prestigious universities of the country were being given to people against a sum.

Arjun, a native of Andhra Pradesh and an MBA graduate, the kingpin of this whole scam stands arrested in this connection.

Photocopies of Mangaluru University answer sheets found

Police have confiscated duplicate marks cards and degree certificates pertaining to the C V Raman University of Chattisgarh and Periyar University of Tamilnadu from the 'Good Guide Academy' situated at the fifth block of Koramangala in the city. In addition, police have also recovered photocopies of three answer papers of a degree course run by Mangaluru University.

More than 150 duplicate marks cards in the name of various universities were unearthed at the Good Guide University. An investigation is also on as to how the accused got the photocopies of the answer papers of a degree run by Mangaluru University. Dr Boralingaiah, DCP, south-east of the city said that the officials of Mangaluru University will also be apprised of this issue.

The accused, Arjun was running this racket systematically for three years, without even registering the company. He has given duplicate marks cards to more than 300 people of Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra origin from his Good Guide Academy. There is a possibility that many people might have secured government and private jobs based on these very duplicate documents.

The accused have printed the duplicate marks cards and certificates with signatures ditto as the original ones given by the said universities. There is also a possibility of involvement of administrative boards and personnel of private universities. The police are conducting their investigation in this angle also.

A senior police officer said that they have already written letters to some universities including Geetam University in this regard but have not received any replies as of now.

Good Guide Academy, run by the fraudster Arjun, used to get the information of people who have not completed their PUC, degree and post-graduate studies from the websites of employment agencies and coaching centers. The academy used to call these people, who have not completed their studies and used to make them believe that theirs is also a distance education institute and has a contract with prestigious universities and that they can give the degree and post-graduate marks cards within three months.

It is learnt that the scam company used to collect an amount of Rs 40 to 45 thousand from the aspirants in order to give the duplicate marks cards and degree certificates.