Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Two rackets facilitating engineering college admissions under the minority quota using forged documents have been exposed in Nagpur, with FIRs registered against five agents and college staff members.
Cases involving fraud and violations of the IT Act have been filed at the Nandanvan and MIDC police stations. The accused include Sheetal Dhir, Vrushabh Ghote, Pankaj Dharwal, Shivam Nimbalkar and a counselor.
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TCs ALLEGEDLY ALTERED TO SHOW HINDI AS MOTHER TONGUE
Investigations revealed that for first-year B.Tech admissions, students’ School Leaving Certificates (TCs) were allegedly altered to list Hindi as their mother tongue, enabling their admission under the minority quota.
A parent from the city had approached Priyadarshini Bhagwati College of Engineering to secure admission for his daughter in the first-year B.Tech (AI) programme. During the process, Sheetal Dhir assured him of admission through the management quota.
The student’s documents were subsequently collected. It is alleged that the admission documents, including the TC, were tampered with to show the student’s mother tongue as Hindi, facilitating her admission into the AI Technology branch under the minority quota.
SIMILAR FRAUD AT RAISONI ENGINEERING COLLEGE
A similar case of fraud involving 2.50 lakh occurred at Raisoni Engineering College on Hingna Road, which falls under the jurisdiction of the MIDC police station.
Following an inquiry by Maharashtra’s Directorate of Higher and Technical Education, the Admissions Regulating Authority (ARA) cancelled the admissions of the concerned students on July 31, 2026.
Following this, complaints were lodged at both police stations and investigations were initiated.
POLICE UNCOVER NETWORK OF AGENTS
Police inquiries revealed a scheme in which agents allegedly colluded to manipulate documents and secure admissions under the minority quota.
According to the police, there is a suspicion that similar admissions based on forged documents have taken place at various other engineering colleges in the city. So far, the admissions of 320 students have been cancelled.
An investigation is underway into a network in which agents allegedly extracted large sums of money from parents by promising special admission arrangements under the management quota and subsequently secured admissions using forged documents.
TWO GANGS APPREHENDED
The accused, who claimed to have connections within the management department, allegedly prepared fake Transfer Certificates (TCs) and other documents for the students.
Admissions to the B.Tech (AI) programme were secured last year based on these documents. Following admission, the two students had even begun taking their examinations.
Suspicion regarding the admission documents arose in January 2026 after a message appeared on the college’s WhatsApp group. This triggered an investigation that led to the exposure of the racket.
Mahak Swami, DCP of the Economic Offences Wing (Nagpur Police Crime Branch), stated that the students were admitted to the engineering college using forged documents.
The police have apprehended two gangs in connection with the case, and a thorough investigation is currently in progress.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
