Fake Degrees Sold for a Decade After University Closure: ED
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made a startling discovery in its ongoing money laundering investigation against the founders of CMJ University in Meghalaya. Despite being dissolved in 2013, the university has continued to sell fake degrees, some dating back over a decade, at exorbitant prices.
Recent search operations conducted in New Delhi and Shillong under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) targeted the university’s Chancellor, Chandra Mohan Jha, his family members, and other individuals implicated in the alleged fraud. During these operations, the ED seized crucial documents, digital evidence, and froze Rs 1.53 crore in bank accounts linked to the case.
A senior ED officer confirmed that digital evidence unearthed during the investigation revealed a disturbing reality: degrees issued as far back as 2012 and 2013 were still being sold, even though the university ceased operations in 2013. This raises serious concerns about the scale and duration of the alleged fraudulent activities.
The ED’s investigation is built upon an FIR and chargesheet filed by the Meghalaya Police, which accuses CMJ University and its trustees of defrauding a significant number of students by issuing fake degrees in exchange for substantial sums of money. The probe has uncovered evidence suggesting that approximately 20,570 fake degrees were issued, despite the university having a limited faculty with questionable qualifications.
This case highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations and increased oversight in the higher education sector to prevent such fraudulent activities and protect the interests of aspiring students.
