Fake certificate racket busted in Hyderabad, four arrested

HYDERABAD: The Commissioner's Task Force, South Zone Team, and the Nampally Police team busted a fake certificates racket, apprehending four people and seizing fake educational certificates, cell phones, a colour printer, and Rs 22,000 cash.

According to the police, the accused were supplying forged educational certificates to deserving students and extorting large sums of money from them in the misguided belief of studying abroad.

The primary suspect, Mohd Ehtesham Uddin Hussain, was running a Study Affairs International Pvt Ltd consultancy in Nampally when the police began their investigation.

They discovered that Hussain, along with Imran, a UK returnee, his employee Khadar, and Altaf, the owner of carrier wing consultancy, devised a plan to create easy money by providing fake educational certificates to needy students for further education and for work opportunities in abroad.

They implemented their strategies and directed customers to Ehtesham for further processing. They gave Ehtesham the task of briefing the customers and collecting the necessary documents and fees. Ethesham used to contact people in other states, and send the details of the customers in order to obtain the certificates.

According to the police, they used to prepare fake educational certificates from various universities and boards based on the customers' study track. They also provided an online check facility for a limited time by charging them extra money. In addition, the main accused created fraudulent websites in the names of various universities and boards. Altaf Ahamad used to start the process of abroad through his contacts abroad after collecting hard and soft copies.

Based on credible information, the Commissioners Task Force South Zone team and Nampally police apprehended the accused and seized the fake educational certificates and materials.

A case has been filed at the Santosh Nagar and Nampally police stations under the relevant sections. The arrested suspects and seized evidence were handed over to the SHO of Nampally for further investigation.

The Hyderabad City Police Department had issued an appeal to the public not to believe fake educational consultancies, mediators, agents of other state universities who made false promises of providing Education Certificates through the back door and backdated from Universities, Colleges without any exams.

The city police also issued a warning to the culprits, stating that anyone participating in criminal activity would face legal repercussions.