Fake certificate racket busted; four arrested

Over 300 certificates, nearly 250 fake rubber stamps seized

September 19, 2014 02:51 am | Updated 02:51 am IST - CHENNAI:

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) on Thursday busted a gang, including a man and his son, who produced fake certificates of schools, colleges and technical educational institutions in the State.

Over 300 certificates and nearly 250 fake rubber stamps were seized from the suspects.

According to CCB officials, investigators with the anti-gangster squad received a tip-off that a gang was producing fake certificates and supporting documents in north Chennai.

The team tracked down two men, identified as Sathyamoorthi (45) of Vyasarpadi and Gyanavel (48) of Kodungaiyur, who acted as brokers for the illegal trade.

“The duo led the investigators to a rented house on 4th Main Road in Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Kodungaiyur, where the fake certificates were being printed and laminated. Over 300 fake certificates of Anna University, Madras University and various other arts colleges and engineering institutions were discovered at the printing unit,” said an investigating officer.

The prime suspects, Gowthaman (57), of Kodungaiyur, and his son, Lokesh Gowthaman (32), were carrying out the scam since 2012 and made around Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 30,000 from selling one document. Gowthaman is employed as an office assistant in the B.Ed. section of Lady Willington College on Kamaraj Salai.

He was earlier working with the Directorate of Public Instruction for seven years, and was arrested by the CCB in 2000 for a similar offense.

The father and son were apprehended, and bogus certificates, stamps and holograms of various educational institutions, as well as computers and other electronic equipment were seized from the four suspects. They were remanded to judicial custody and sent to Puzhal prison on Thursday evening, the officials added.

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