Shimla | The Hon’ble Special Court (PMLA), Shimla has declared Ashoni Kumber (female) and Mandeep Rana (male) as Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEO). The order was issued on 3 January 2026, following an application filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Shimla Sub-Regional Office.
The ED’s investigation pertains to a fraud involving fake degrees and educational scams, initially registered through three FIRs at Dhamanpar Police Station, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. The probe revealed that accused Raj Kumar Rana, with the assistance of Ashoni Kumber and Mandeep Rana, sold fake degrees through the agency.
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Financial Gains from Fake Degrees
According to the investigation, the fraudulent degrees were issued under the name of Human Arti University, Solan. Through these activities, the accused allegedly amassed approximately ₹387 crore.
The ill-gotten funds were used by Raj Kumar Rana, Ashoni Kumber, and Mandeep Rana in their own names and through associated entities to acquire movable and immovable properties across multiple states. To date, assets worth around ₹200 crore have been attached, a move confirmed by the Hon’ble Court.
Previous Complaints and Non-Bailable Warrants
Earlier, the ED had filed prosecution complaints (PC) and charge sheets against Raj Kumar Rana, Ashoni Kumber, Mandeep Rana, and 14 other accused in the Special Court (PMLA), Shimla.
- 1 January 2023: The court took cognizance of the PC and issued summons to Ashoni Kumber and Mandeep Rana. The accused failed to comply with the summons.
- 4 January 2023: The court issued open non-bailable warrants against Ashoni Kumber and Mandeep Rana.
Investigation also revealed that Ashoni Kumber and Mandeep Rana left the country following the FIRs and are currently residing in Australia.
Failure to Appear and Stay Abroad
Summons were served to include the accused in the investigation, but both did not appear in any hearings. Efforts to bring them back to India were unsuccessful, as the accused did not cooperate with the legal process.
Legal Procedure and Fugitive Declaration
In this context, under FEOA, 2014, the ED, Shimla Sub-Regional Office filed an application under Section 4 of FEOA, 2013, seeking the declaration of Ashoni Kumber and Mandeep Rana as Fugitive Economic Offenders.
The Hon’ble Special Court (PMLA), Shimla approved the application on 3 January 2026, officially declaring the two as fugitive economic offenders.
Next Steps in Investigation
The ED has clarified that the investigation is ongoing. The agency is currently focusing on:
- Tracing the assets of the accused in India and abroad,
- Analyzing the roles of other related individuals and entities,
- Considering further legal action and asset attachment.
