TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Crime Branch Thursday night busted a fake certificates racket in Margao and arrested three persons for allegedly issuing fake passing certificates of various boards and universities.
The sleuths seized fake certificates and mark sheets (of SSC, HSSC and graduation) of education boards and universities, following a raid at the S J Career Academy, located near the Margao bus stand based on credible information.
Azim Beg (34), running the affairs of the academy, Wasim Beg (24), manager and Sabina Bi (30), operator have been arrested under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act.
A departmental press release states that the academy sold fake graduation, SSC and HSSC certificates and other documents, which were ‘priced’ at Rs 40,000 to Rs 80,000.
The informant, based on whose tip-off the raid was carried out, had informed that such certificates were issued from the office as well as from Azim’s residence in Aquem. A trap was laid by planting a police decoy customer to get his passing certificate prepared by the academy.
“Sabina informed the decoy that the academy provides educational certificates at a cost of Rs 40,000 for passing certificates/mark lists of Class X and XII and Rs 80,000 for graduation in any stream of recognized universities approved by the Government without appearing for any examination,” the press note read.
The decoy was then asked to pay an advance amount of Rs 25,000 for processing and preparing the passing certificate. The balance amount of Rs 15,000 was to be paid at the time of collecting the certificate. She stated that she would send his photographs and particulars to her “boss” Azim Beig who in turn would send the required certificate to him after making the balance payment.
“Accordingly, the decoy paid Rs 25,000 and gave the required documentations such as SSC passing certificate copy, birth certificate and four photographs. He was asked to collect the certificate of ‘Board of Secondary Education, Madhya Bharat, Gwalior’ from their office in Margao,” a senior officer told Herald.
Sabina Bi was caught red handed while accepting Rs 15,000 and delivering the certificate to the decoy. It is reliably learnt that several youth have been issued fake certificates from the S J Career Academy, Margao for either pursuing their further courses or securing jobs abroad. It is however not known how many persons were issued certificates thus far.
“We are going through the records maintained by this office which might give us more leads. The investigation is in process,” said the officer.
