Recruitment Through Forged Certificates: Odisha Police Busts Fake Certificate Racket

Berhampur: Aska Police on Saturday busted a major fake certificate racket by arresting five persons including the kingpin and two fake teachers.

The racket was busted by police while investigating a complaint filed by Aska Block Education Officer (BEO) Krutibash Barik who had alleged that two assistant teachers - Gaurishankar Jena and Dayanidhi Parida - got government job by submitting fake certificates.

Jena had joined as an assistant teacher in 2016, and continued service till 2019. Parida was also in service till last year.

While carrying out a probe based on the complaint filed by the BEO, police busted the entire chain of the racket and arrested five persons including the two fake teachers.

“I have not done anything. My educational qualification is MA in Political Science and I was in teaching profession,” said one of the arrested 'fake' teachers, Gaurishankar Jena.

The three other accused who were engaged in preparing and distribution of the fake certificates include- Prakash Palai, Ranjit Kumar Palata and Durga Prasad Mishra.

“Based on the complaint filed by the BEO that fake teachers have joined in government school, we have arrested two teachers. After interrogation, we busted the gang which was preparing such fake certificates by using rubber stamps,” said IPS officer (Trainee), Abhinash J.

Senior police officials informed that 500 fake rubber stamps, several fake B.Ed and other duplicate certificates along with other articles used in making forged documents have been seized from the possession of the accused persons.

“I was a teacher and the entire racket was run by Ranjit. I do not have much information about it,” said Durga Prasad Mishra, adding that he was only getting Rs 2,000 for the job.