Maharashtra Fake Caste Certificate Scandal Widens Beyond Nagpur College
The fake caste certificate racket unearthed at Govindrao Wanjari College of Engineering and Technology in Salai Godhani, Nagpur, appears to be merely the tip of a much larger statewide scam. Similar irregularities are now under intense scrutiny in multiple engineering and professional colleges across Maharashtra, including institutions in Pune.
Expanding Police Investigation and Arrests
Nagpur rural police arrested one additional student on Tuesday, bringing the total number of students apprehended in this case to two. Dedicated teams from the local crime branch have been specifically formed to track down and apprehend three faculty members from the college who are currently absconding.
A formal case was registered at Pachgaon Police Station against eleven individuals, including three assistant professors: Amol Ghode (34), Mohan Karambhe (45), and Shubham Khorgade (41). These individuals are accused of forging backward class caste certificates and validity documents.
Systematic Fraud Depriving Genuine Students
These fraudulent documents were used to help ineligible candidates secure reserved category seats through the Maharashtra State CET Cell. This systematic deception effectively deprived genuine reserved category students of their rightful educational opportunities.
The investigation has revealed a well-organized network that allegedly involved agents such as the late Nandu Dudhpachare, Ganesh Shende, Rahul Yadav (also known as Rahul Anand), and Vivek Singh. These agents colluded with college staff and parents to facilitate the fraud.
Rahul Yadav is suspected to have played a particularly crucial role in collecting money for the operation. Among the accused, Nandu Dudhpachare has since passed away. Parents Jitendra Devgade and Devendra Moundekar are also named in the official case.
Institutional Response and Broader Implications
The three implicated professors have already been removed from service by the college management. Police authorities have approached the caste verification department's vigilance wing to obtain relevant records, and preliminary investigations strongly suggest that this racket may extend far beyond this single institution.
Superintendent of Police Harssh Poddar confirmed that teams comprising Pachgaon police and local crime branch personnel are actively working to track the absconding accused. Similar cases involving fake caste certificates have already surfaced in Pune and various other parts of Maharashtra, indicating a potentially widespread problem across the state's educational institutions.
