The Central Crime Branch (CCB) seized over 1,000 fake marks cards after raiding the offices of an educational institute with a dubious record in Bengaluru.

The raids were conducted at Sri Venkateswara Institute’s offices (VSS Institute of Educational Research and Charitable Trust) at Mahalakshmi Layout, Kodigehalli and Marathahalli in Bengaluru. As a result, as many as 1,097 fake marks cards, 87 blank marks cards, 74 seals of different universities, five hard discs, five PhD transfer certificates, five mobile phones and a printer were seized.

The institute, whose primary target was those pursuing distance education, allegedly sold fake marks cards of SSLC, PUC, diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses for anywhere between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh for a certificate.

Among the seized fake marks cards were 288 were from Dr CV Raman University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh; 283 of National Institute of Open Schooling, Andhra Pradesh; 18 of Karnataka State Open University; 128 of William Carey University, Shillong University; 147 of North East Frontier Technical University, Arunachal Pradesh; 25 of Calorx Teachers University (Gujarat State University); four of Swamy Vivekananda Global University, West Bengal; 18 of IEC University, Himachal Pradesh; 13 of VS Prasanna Bharati University-Haryana University; six of Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management University, Sikkim; five of EIILM University, Sikkim; and 65 of other universities.

The CCB subsequently arrested four members- Shilpa, director of the institute, employees Sharada and Kishore, and Rajanna, the owner of a printing press – suspected to be involved in the crime.

The main accused, founder-chairman of the institute, G Srinivas Reddy, could not be nabbed. Reddy was previously arrested by the CCB in 2018 and 2019 for a similar offence. Rajanna had come to collect the marks cards for printing when the CCB raided the institute.  

The CCB raided the institute after an Electronics City resident filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime police station. The complainant had alleged that BCom marks cards for Rs 1 lakh were on sale here when he visited its Mahalakshmi Layout head office on November 12 to inquire about admission to a correspondence course in commerce. The receptionist asked him to pay Rs 1 lakh and promised a certificate of a reputable university.

The complainant paid Rs 40,000 and asked the receptionist when he should take the exam. She said he didn’t have to appear for any exam because they would get someone else to take it. She assured him of the degree certificate and the marks cards.

After he paid Rs 40,000, the institute sent him first and second-year marks cards on WhatsApp. However, for the final-year’s marks cards, he was asked to pay the remaining Rs 60,000. But the youth suspected that the score cards were fake and approached the police, CCB clarified.  

(Source: Deccan Herald)

Also read: Bengaluru: Fake marks card racket busted