New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough, the Inter-State Cell (ISC) of the Crime Branch, Delhi Police has uncovered a large-scale fake degree racket operating across multiple states. The operation led to the arrest of five individuals and the recovery of hundreds of forged academic certificates, marking a major step in the crackdown on education-related fraud.
Criminal Network Uncovered
The investigation began when Head Constable Harender Malik received reliable inputs about certain institutions in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) involved in the illegal issuance of fake degrees and mark sheets.
These counterfeit academic documents, often backdated, were allegedly being sold to students after extracting substantial sums under the pretense of legitimate university affiliations.
Initial inquiries pointed to the involvement of coaching center operators and insiders from various universities. Acting on the gravity of the situation, a special team led by Inspector Manmeet Malik and supervised by ACP Ramesh Lamba was constituted.
The team included Sub-Inspectors Naresh Kumar, Vikas, Jai Kumar, Rajeev, Ritesh, and Sunil Panwar, along with ASI Krishan Pal and Head Constables Amrish, Sunil Dhaka, and Rajesh.
Major Arrest at Netaji Subhash Place
The breakthrough came with the arrest of Vicky Harjani, the owner of Paramhans Vidyapeeth, from Netaji Subhash Place.
During a search of his office and vehicle, the team recovered 75 forged academic documents purportedly issued by universities from states including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Meghalaya.
Subsequently, an FIR (No. 140/2025) was registered at the Crime Branch police station on June 6, 2025, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Four More Arrested
Following the interrogation of Harjani, the ISC team apprehended four more suspects linked to the syndicate:
Vivek Gupta – operates multiple educational centers in Noida; previously implicated in a similar case in New Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
Satbir Singh – co-owner of Gurukul Education Centre in Faridabad.
Narayan Jee – a Bachelor of Arts graduate, operating from Bihar with plans to expand operations in Delhi-NCR.
Avnish Kansal – a B.Tech degree holder, currently lodged in Central Jail, Jaipur, and previously involved in two similar cases in Rajasthan.
Seizures and Digital Evidence
In total, the police recovered 275 forged certificates, including 228 mark sheets, 27 degree certificates, and 20 migration documents. Along with these, 6 laptops and 20 mobile phones were seized.
A forensic analysis of the devices revealed a massive digital archive containing over 5,000 to 5,500 soft copies of fake documents covering a wide range of academic programs from undergraduate to postgraduate levels including B.A., B.Sc., B.Com., B.Tech, B.Ed., BAMS, MBA, and M.A.
The recovered data also points to the operation of at least 20 to 25 coaching and consultancy centers that are believed to be part of this extensive and organized network.
How the Racket Worked
The syndicate had set up educational call centers across Delhi and nearby regions. They promoted their services on platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and Twitter, in addition to distributing leaflets around schools, coaching centers, and busy student hubs.
Potential candidates were promised quick admissions to universities and government-recognized courses, often with the added appeal of backdated degrees. Once the students shared their personal and academic details, the syndicate created fake documents bearing authentic-looking seals and formatting to resemble genuine degrees from various Indian universities.
The operation ran under a cloud of secrecy, with the accused often using aliases and fake identities to stay undetected.
Backgrounds of the Accused
- Vicky Harjani: Studied up to 10th standard. Ran multiple centers in NSP and Rohini and employed tele-callers to approach students.
- Vivek Gupta: Studied up to 12th standard. Operated 6–7 educational institutes in Noida and had a prior criminal history.
- Satbir Singh: Also educated up to 12th class and ran an institute in Faridabad.
- Narayan Jee: A graduate with a B.A. degree, running operations from Bihar.
- Avnish Kansal: Holds a B.Tech degree, currently in judicial custody with multiple prior cases.
Ongoing Probe
The Crime Branch stated that investigations are far from over. As the digital data continues to be examined, more names are expected to surface, leading to further arrests and uncovering the full scale of the racket.
Authorities have urged students and parents to verify the authenticity of academic institutions and degrees through official channels before enrolling or making payments.
This operation has exposed the vulnerabilities in the education verification process and highlighted the need for tighter regulation and monitoring mechanisms to uphold academic integrity.
