More arrests likely as SIT expands inquiry
By ARUN PRATAP SINGHGarhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 22 Sep: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the NEET UG fake certificate scam has made its first arrests. A 10‑member SIT had reached Haridwar to investigate candidates who secured MBBS and BDS admissions using forged certificates issued in the name of freedom fighters yesterday where the probe is still continuing. Meanwhile, two accused were summoned to Raipur police station in Dehradun for questioning and were arrested thereafter.
Dehradun SSP Pramendra Dobal along with the SIT disclosed at a press conference that in the MBBS certificate fraud case two people including the gang leader Rupesh Pandit and one Arvind Kumar have been arrested so far. The SIT revealed that the deal for preparing fake certificates was struck for Rs 45 lakhs, of which Rs 20 lakhs was paid in advance by three persons. Twelve suspects are still under investigation. Arvind Kumar admitted that he had paid Rs 20 lakhs to prepare a forged certificate for his daughter, against whom a case has also been registered at Raipur police station.
The SIT identified Rupesh Pandit as the mastermind of the scam. It may be pertinent to share here that Pandit owns a major institute in Meerut that prepares students for medical and other competitive examinations. According to SSP Dobal, forged certificates prepared by Rupesh were used not only in India but also abroad. The SIT is now also examining e‑district centres and CSC centres, and the officials claim that more arrests are expected soon. They also claim that several suspects remain under the radar as the investigation gathers pace.
It may be recalled that the present scam involves some candidates for NEET exam producing fake dependant certificates of deceased or unrelated freedom fighters to claim reserved MBBS and BDS seats under the state quota during the NEET UG counselling. Records show that multiple candidates used the name of the same freedom fighter to falsely claim to be his descendants, while the genuine family of the freedom fighter concerned had never sought such benefits. Some forged certificates even carried AI‑generated photographs.
Some whistle‑blowers and journalists had submitted some documents to Health Minister Subodh Uniyal and the administration, flagging over 350 suspicious domicile and reserved category certificates, including SC, ST, OBC and EWS. In view of the seriousness of the matter, one SIT by SP Rural Jaya Baluni had been constituted. The SIT has been scrutinising documents from the SDM and patwari offices and has already initiated cancellation of forged certificates and registration of cases against those involved.
Yesterday, the SIT had seized documents of an accused student from Haridwar Medical College and questioned staff members. Earlier, it had also interrogated the patwaris and other officials in Dehradun. The investigation has now widened beyond freedom fighter dependent certificates to include all the categories of domicile and reservation certificates. So far, four students have been found to have secured MBBS admissions using fake certificates claiming to be heirs of freedom fighter Dharmveer. FIRs were registered against them at Clement Town and Raipur police stations.
Besides the SIT, the administration’s joint inquiry committee is also investigating the case, with EWS and permanent domicile certificates now under scrutiny. A list of 370 suspect domicile certificates was recently submitted to the Health Minister, highlighting the extent of possible manipulation by several families to secure admissions for their children.
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