INDIA. Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a complaint before a special court in Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, against Manav Bharti University, on charges of the alleged sale of fake degrees, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money-laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 (PMLA) on Friday.
Degree scam in Manav Bharti University
“The ED has filed prosecution complaint before Special Court Shimla, against 14 persons and 02 entities, of Manav Bharti University, in a case related to selling of fake degrees in the name of the university,” the ED said in a statement.
It is a private university constituted under the name of Manav Bharti University (Establishment and Regulation Act, 2009, passed by Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly).
The university was formed by Manav Bharti Charitable Trust, of which Raj Kumar Rana is a Chairman-cum-Trustee.
On January 4, the Shimla special court took cognizance of the case, which listed 14 people and 2 entities. Three FIRs filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code served as the foundation for the complaint, which was started at the Dharampur Police Station in Solan.
According to the ED, preliminary investigation revealed that Rana and other co-accused in the case sold fake degrees in exchange for cash under the guise of Manav Bharti University.
“Rana purchased a variety of movable and immovable assets throughout several states under his own name as well as the names of family members and businesses using money acquired from this criminal activities,” the ED said.
The assets worth Rs 194 crore have been attached provisionally in the case at hand. Further investigation is underway, the ED statement read.
Rana was earlier arrested in FIR (No 22 of 2020) dated March 03, 2020, registered at the Police Station Dharampur, District Solan, under sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120 B of Indian Penal Code, 1860.
He was granted bail on August 14,2020, by the Himachal Pradesh High Court, on certain conditions and a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh.
The raids were conducted by police on March 03, 2020, based on a complaint by a woman resident of Haryana. During the raid, the tempered answer sheets and thousands of fake degrees were seized. Besides, many passing certificates related to the closed educational courses were also recovered.
The university is accused of awarding degrees also to its employees without them receiving coaching and completing any curricula.
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