Fake marksheet racket busted

MOHALI: The police busted a fake marksheet racket, with the arrest of one person on Monday. Ashwani Kumar operated the alleged racket from his private academy at Lohgarh in Zirakpur.

Zirakpur SHO inspector Pawan Kumar said the accused has been sent in two-day police remand.

According to police, a complaint was filed by Nitesh Mohan, a Sangrur resident, alleging Ashwani has issued a fake marksheet for clearing Class XII examination of ICSE. When he checked the certificate online, he found it to be fake. Kumar said, “We learnt he had been operating through his academy from where he issued marksheets for classes X and XII. We will interrogate him to find out the number of certificates issued by him.”

Police said Mohan, in his complaint, alleged that he came to know that the academy makes students clear Class XII examinations despite them failing. He approached the academy and Ashwani demanded Rs 1.5 lakh for getting him to clear Class XII without appearing in the examinations.

Mohan alleged he had paid Rs 80,000 for the deal and Ashwani in return gave him the marksheet showing as “passed Class XII”.

Sources said the accused during preliminary interrogation claimed he has issued more than three dozen such fake marksheets to various students. Police said they suspect that Ashwani has links with other touts in different states.