Mysuru: The rot in the fake marks card racket in the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) is getting deeper and murkier, as more and more skeletons tumble out.  

With the City Crime Branch (CCB) successfully nabbing four more persons, including a temporary employee of KSOU, some of the facts are coming to light. And, as one of the CCB officers told Star of Mysore, “The more you dig, more you get.”

The four others arrested are KSOU temporary employee Prajwal, a resident of Gokulam, Chikamagalur’s Kisan, Mahadevapura Layout resident Menon and Kolar’s Sagar.

It may be recalled that the CCB Police had arrested a woman, Yashaswini, on July 20, near Mini Vidhana Soudha, Nazarbad and recovered hundreds of fake marks cards from her. When she was subjected to intense questioning, she revealed the names of four others. After arresting them on Sunday, the Police recovered a few more marks cards and certificates. They were produced before the Magistrate yesterday afternoon and remanded to Police custody for four days (till July 28).

During the course of interrogation, it was revealed that Prajwal, who is a temporary employee in KSOU, had joined hands with Yashaswini and was involved in preparing fake marks cards of SSLC, PUC and Diploma courses and selling them to gullible students.

Along with selling fake marks cards, Prajwal, it is learnt, is also involved in money-doubling racket and duping a lot of people. A separate case of fraud has been registered for this too. The tentacles of the gang involved in the fake marks card racket have spread throughout the State and outside too.

Outreach Programmes

The KSOU was also running outreach programmes and the Centres had been set up not only in the State but also in many other parts of the country. However, when KSOU lost its recognition in 2014-15, even these centres were supposed to be de-recognised.

But, during the course of the investigation of Prajwal and other members of the gang, the Police stumbled upon the racket that has much deeper ramifications. The gang continued to operate, convincing the gullible students of the authenticity of the outreach programmes and that they could get them those marks cards (even though there was no recognition). They have made crores of rupees in this racket, the Police have found out.

It is learnt that apart from the five fraudsters, even the officials in the KSOU might be involved in the huge fake marks card racket.

Teams formed

The CCB has formed three teams to investigate into the racket. The first team is headed by CCB ACP C. Gopal, the second one by Inspector Prasanna Kumar and the third by Inspector C. Raju. The CCB staff will assist all the three teams in the investigations.

The teams along with the five accused will visit the Outreach centres in the State to find out the extent of involvement of those running the centres in the fake marks card racket. Since the five are in Police custody until July 28, the Police might seek extension of their custody if the investigation is not complete, said a source in the CCB to SOM.

His salary is Rs. 9,000, but he drives around in a Benz !

He was getting a salary of Rs. 9,000, but he drives around in a Benz car. This is the lifestyle of Prajwal, a temporary employee in KSOU, involved in the fake marks card racket. A resident of Gokulam, he is always found sporting flashy gold jewellery around his neck and fingers.

After joining KSOU as a temporary employee, he got involved in the fake marks cards racket realising how gullible people can be that they would part with lakhs  of rupees for fake marks cards. Thus, he and his accomplices including the woman Yashaswini, duped thousands of students and made lakhs of rupees.

Prajwal, it is said, is adept at creating fake marks cards and he and his gang not only produced marks cards of KSOU but also that of other Universities outside the State.

With the kind of money he was earning, he started lending it on huge interest and thus earned more and more. His lifestyle also changed and he began leading a life of luxury, the investigations revealed.