Malappuram, Kerala: A sprawling network producing and distributing fake university certificates, including foreign degrees, has been unearthed by Kerala police, revealing how a previously arrested offender rebuilt his scam empire. Authorities have arrested 11 individuals from multiple states, exposing a scheme that may have supplied certificates to over 10 lakh people across India.

Who is behind the racket?

The main accused, Dhaneesh, also known as ‘Dany’, first came under police scrutiny in 2013 for distributing fake certificates. After jail term, he expanded operations from a rented house in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu. Supporting him were workers from Sivakasi, experienced in printing, and agents across Kerala and other states.

Others arrested include Irshad, Rahul, Nissar, Jaseem, Shafeeq (40), Ratheesh (38), Afsal (31), and three Tamil Nadu residents — Jainulabideen (40), Aravind (24), and Venkatesh (24). Each played a key role, from printing and transporting certificates to distributing them through recruitment agencies.

How the scam operated

Dhaneesh established a clandestine printing press in Pollachi. Certificates were printed with university names and later personalised with candidates’ details. To keep the operation discreet, the certificates were sent to Bengaluru before being distributed to agents across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, Delhi, and West Bengal.

The fake certificates bore forged signatures, hologram seals, and university stamps. Hundreds of printers, computers, and fake seals were seized by police from the various locations. Investigators have also recovered nearly one lakh fake certificates linked to 22 universities outside Kerala.

Extravagance and evasion

Dhaneesh had a luxurious lifestyle. Police say he invested in a luxury home in Malappuram, two five-star bars, apartments in Pune, and businesses in the Middle East. He was arrested at Kozhikode while trying to flee abroad with his family.

Jaseem, responsible for transporting certificates, was arrested in Bengaluru, while the workers operating the Pollachi and Sivakasi printing presses were also taken into custody.

Questions police are probing

Police are investigating whether any university officials aided the scam by providing certificate templates or other sensitive information. The fake certificates will be sent to respective universities for verification. Police are also tracking who obtained jobs using these fraudulent documents, with each certificate reportedly sold for Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh, earning Dhaneesh crores.