Students were shown the dream of a career in pharmacy. They were enrolled, fees were taken — and two years later, when the degree finally came into their hands, they discovered it was fake. After gathering courage, the students filed a complaint, and now an FIR has been registered against the institute management at Bithri Chainpur police station in Bareilly.
According to the complaint, the entire case is linked to Baba Institute of Pharmacy, Muzaffarnagar, where students were promised “easy studies, guaranteed degree, and future job support” in the name of D.Pharma.
How the game began — trust first, money later
Complainant Majid Ali Khan (resident of Padarathpur, Bareilly) said that in 2022 he met institute manager Imlakh Khan, chairman Imran Khan, and the manager’s brother Arif Khan.
The allegation is that they assured the parents and students:
“Leave the problems to us — your child will pass and get the degree.”
The two-year course fee was quoted at about ₹3.80 lakh. Majid then brought a few more youths along — everyone submitted their academic certificates and paid the fees in installments.
Degree received — but the system detected the fraud
Two years later, when the degrees were issued, students began the registration process with the UP Pharmacy Council. That is where the real truth emerged:
1. No record of the batch in council data
2. Suspicious serial numbers on the degrees
3. Multiple irregularities in documents
The council returned the files and clearly stated — the degrees are not valid.
Students allege that some exams were not even conducted properly, yet everyone was marked “passed” and given degrees. When they demanded answers, they were allegedly threatened and shown political influence.
More than eight students trapped — careers on hold
Those affected by the scam reportedly include:
Bhagwan Singh, Kamran, Ritik, Sachin, Mukesh, Suresh Pal, Ripon Biswas and Ashok Kumar.
The students say:
“Two years of study, lakhs of rupees — and now no recognition. No job, no further admission.”
Similar scams have surfaced earlier too
Bareilly and nearby districts have previously seen several cases involving fake colleges, bogus approvals and counterfeit degrees. Some arrests took place, but the networks did not end — only their methods changed.
FCRF warning — “Education fraud has become an organized racket”
The Future Crime Research Foundation (FCRF) says that fraud in the name of education has now become a low-risk, high-profit crime sector.
According to FCRF:
“Fake websites, fabricated approvals and counterfeit degrees together form an organized fraud chain. Students must independently verify every document.”
The foundation has recommended stricter digital verification, record audits, and licensing reviews by government agencies.
Police investigation — FIR alone won’t be enough
Bithri Chainpur police have registered the case and begun investigation. Victims are demanding:
1. Verification of the institute’s recognition
2. Scrutiny of admission records
3. Audit of fee collections and fund trail
They say this is necessary so that no more students fall victim to such scams.
Important precautions for students
- Check PCI / AICTE / State approvals online
- Verify institute details on the council portal
- Speak to students from previous batches
- Pay fees only with official receipts
- Stay away from offers like “we’ll make you pass without studying”
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
