A city police team has busted a gang making counterfeit degree certificates and marksheets, and seized over 300 fake stamps and an equal number of bogus certificates.
The police said a few days ago, a team had questioned the kingpin of the gang, 43-year-old Karunakaran of New Washermenpet, after detaining him on suspicion in Vysarpadi. He was carrying rubber stamps with fake seals of Anna University. He had come to the spot to affix a fake seal on a certificate created for a client.
Acting on information received from him, R. Sudhakar, deputy commissioner of police, Pulianthope, formed a special team. A room in West Krishnappa Garden, Old Washermenpet, where the certificates and marksheets were made, was raided, and two of Karunakaran’s accomplices, N. Moorthy (52) of Pattalam and Devaraj (54) of Vyasarpadi, were arrested. A hunt is on for two more suspects.
The suspects, who were orchestrating the fraud for over six years, had catered primarily to people seeking jobs in the Gulf. They also made school and diploma certificates on request.
Karunakaran was arrested in 2000 for a similar offence and also on charges of printing fake currency in 2001, police sources said.
