Properties worth Rs 1.74 crore attached in fake degree scam

In another blow to the management of Manav Bharti University involved in multi crore fake degree scam, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Shimla provisionally attached seven immovable properties worth Rs 1.74 crore as per the sale deed value, as Proceeds of Crime (POC) belonging to accused commission agents namely, Abhishek Gupta, Himanshu Sharma and Ajay Kumar under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. These seven immovable properties are located in Bihar, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

The ED initiated investigation on the basis of three FIRs registered by Dharampur Police Station, under various sections of IPC. The ED investigation revealed that the accused Raj Kumar Rana, president, Manav Bharti University (MBU), Solan, in connivance with other co-accused persons, including various commission agents, was engaged in the large-scale sale of fake degrees issued in the name of MBU. The commission agents played a key role in this racket by facilitating contact between prospective buyers of fake degrees and the university authorities. In return, they received a percentage of the proceeds from the illegal sale of fake degrees as commission.

The POC generated through this sale of fake degrees is quantified at Rs 387 crore. These illicit proceeds were subsequently utilised by Raj Kumar Rana and his associates, including the commission agents, for the acquisition of various movable and immovable properties across multiple states.

The ED had also filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC) before Special Court (PMLA), Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, against 14 persons and two entities, including Raj Kumar Rana, and various commission agents under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002.

The Special Court, Shimla, had taken cognizance of this PC on January 4, 2023. Earlier in this case, the ED had also provisionally attached movable and immovable properties worth Rs 194.14 crore on January 29, 2021. This Provisional Attachment Order had subsequently been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority, PMLA.

Further, the ED had also provisionally attached seven immovable properties worth Rs 5.8 crore on January 10 in this matter.

The attachment of properties in this case at present stands at Rs 202 crore.

The Dharampur police had registered an FIR in March 2020 after the UGC had also flagged the issue after receipt of several complaints.

Himachal Tribune