The Central Crime Branch of the city police arrested two teachers of Chennai Schools on charges of submitting fake teacher training certificates and working as government primary school teachers since 1998.
Investigators suspect there could be over 25 others who have committed similar offences and are working as teachers.
Sources with the CCB said the suspects, M. Kuppan (48) of Shenoy Nagar and T. Raja (40) of Perambur, were working as teachers at different Chennai Schools in MGR Nagar.
They had forged certificates belonging to two other candidates and submitted them to the education department in 1998.
The fraud came to light after the State education department received an anonymous letter from Thurinjapuram, Tiruvannamalai, stating that many working teachers had got their jobs with forged teacher training certificates. The letter was forwarded to the vigilance officers of Chennai Corporation.
Following this, the Corporation’s education officer, K. Ravichandran, lodged a complaint with the office of the Commissioner of Police S. George in September.
A probe was initiated by additional commissioner, CCB, R.S. Nallasivam. “We found out that the primary school teachers, Kuppan and Raja, had obtained original teacher training certificates from eligible candidates and forged these certificates. They were arrested on Monday. It is suspected that more people have got jobs similarly,” said investigating officer E. Velu, inspector, CCB.
The teachers were remanded to custody and sent to Puzhal prison. A further probe will be taken up.
