The Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) apprehended one person involved in selling fake academic certificates and found five fake certificates of Classes X, XI and XII.
DESAM vice-president Oinam Shital told media persons at its head office located at Kwakeithel, Imphal West on Sunday evening that for the past few months the students’ body has been investigating to find out the people who are selling fake academic certificates. During the course of investigation, DESAM has been able to collect a total of five fake certificates, two certificates each of Class X and XII and one certificate of Class XI on Saturday.
“Two persons, who holds fake Class XII certificates, disclosed that they bought the certificates to take part in the recruitment of Manipur Police,” said Shital.
The certificates were collected from one Golmei Solomon, 35, son of Golmei Gondaichung of Wainem village, Wainem Kabui, Senapati district, he added. He said that Golmei works under one Kamei who is reportedly working as a teacher in Tengkhongjang Higher Secondary School, Noney. From Golmei’s disclosure it was also learnt that two other persons named as K Rana and another one, who had succumbed to COVID-19 at JNIMS, were also involved. DESAM contacted Rana and asked him to clarify the matter, but he is on the run.
Shital said the fake certificate makers charged around Rs 20,000 for Class X certificate and Rs 30,000 for Class XII certificate, which are delivered within three days along with Aadhaar card, PAN card and residential certificate.
He further said that the certificate holder of Class X disclosed that the certificate was bought in order to get admission in Class XI. Moreover, the fake certificate makers used the roll numbers of Class X and XII passed out students and they put the same to the fake certificates. The makers then asked the buyers to check their results at the respective websites. The fake certificates were provided under the names of some schools located in hill districts.
One of the seized fake Class X certificates was registered under Motbung High School with roll number 18693 in second division in 2012. Under the name of the school, one migration certificate and transfer certificate were also given to the person.
Another fake Class X certificate was given under MBC Higher Secondary School with roll number 25794 and the person was passed out in second division in 2019. The remaining three certificates with roll number 18615 (one certificate each for Class XII and XI) and 19376 for Class XII were also given under Thangton Higher Secondary School, said Shital.
He said that the certificates included registration certificate, migration certificate, provisional certificate and mark sheet with authorised signatures of the schools, Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM) and Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM).
Shital said that it is suspicious that officials of BOSEM and COHSEM are also involved in the business of selling fake certificates.
Responding to media persons, Shital said that the schools might not be aware of the activity, however, DESAM will register a case at the respective police stations to investigate the matter.
Golmei Solomon, who is in the custody of DESAM, told the media persons that he was misled by the three teachers in order to earn money. He said that they called him and asked to go to some random place mainly at Noney parking to collect the money and deliver the certificates.
“I will cooperate with DESAM in order to root out such activities,” said Solomon.
