Mumbai, December 17: Employees of Somaiya College in Mumbai have been arrested for running a college admission racket that involved forging mark sheets and leaving certificates (LCs). The scam enabled nearly 50 ineligible students to secure admissions for Class 11 in the 2024-25 academic year by falsifying documents and tampering with the state’s official admission portal. The accused, including two college clerks, allegedly accepted illegal payments from parents to bypass the merit-based system.

The case came to light during routine checks by the administration at Somaiya College, revealing discrepancies in the admission process for Class 11. According to a Times of India report, forged mark sheets and leaving certificates were discovered, prompting a deeper investigation. The inquiry revealed that two college employees, Mahendra Patil and Arjun Rathod, along with their accomplices, orchestrated the scam. They manipulated the official admission portal by uploading fabricated documents to secure seats for students who did not meet eligibility criteria. Online Fraud in Mumbai: Man Poses as Police Inspector, Dupes College Professor of Rs 1 Lakh After Claiming Her Son Was Detained.

Investigators found that the accused targeted parents willing to pay hefty sums to secure their children’s admission. They reportedly created fake credentials and marksheets for students from various boards, including CBSE, ICSE, IB, and others, ensuring admissions through fraudulent means. Documents featuring suspicious details like percentages above 90% and invalid serial numbers were among the evidence uncovered. The racket compromised the merit-based system, depriving deserving students of opportunities. Online Fraud in Mumbai: Teen Loses Rs 2 Lakh While Playing Game on Mother’s Mobile Phone, Dies by Suicide.

The Tilak Nagar police have arrested Patil and Rathod and registered an FIR under cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy sections of the IPC and the Information Technology Act. The accused are also suspected of misusing college computer systems to facilitate the fraud. The police are now tracing other accomplices, identified as Kamleshbhai, Jitubhai, and Babubhai, to investigate the scope of the racket. Authorities are also examining whether similar frauds have occurred at other institutions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 17, 2024 06:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).