Meerut: A major crackdown on an organized racket supplying counterfeit school books has exposed a deep-rooted network in western Uttar Pradesh. Acting on inputs, police on Friday night seized around 13,000 fake books of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and arrested four accused. Preliminary findings suggest that the gang had been operating for a considerable period, distributing fake textbooks across West UP and nearby states.
The operation began during routine checking in the Mawana area, where a car and a Tata Magic vehicle were intercepted. Upon inspection, around 2,000 books of various subjects from classes 1 to 12 were recovered. The poor print quality and paper immediately raised suspicion, leading to the detention of four individuals—Rahul Rana, Harsh, Babar, and Rahul Yadav—for questioning.
Warehouse Raid Uncovers Larger Network
During interrogation, the accused revealed details of a larger supply chain. Acting on their leads, a raid was conducted at a warehouse in Mataur village, from where an additional 11,000 fake books were recovered. This took the total seizure to nearly 13,000 copies. Officials noted that while the books appeared genuine at first glance, discrepancies in printing, binding, and paper quality exposed them as counterfeits.
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Distribution Across States and Market Impact
Investigations further revealed that the accused were producing these fake books at low cost and selling them in the market under the guise of original NCERT publications. This not only caused financial losses to students and parents but also raised serious concerns about academic quality. Experts warn that such counterfeit books often contain inaccurate or incomplete content, potentially affecting students’ learning outcomes.
The main accused, Rahul Rana, disclosed that the seized consignment was meant for distribution to multiple locations. A portion was to be delivered by car to a buyer in Modinagar, while the Tata Magic was headed toward a book seller in Almora, Uttarakhand. Following this revelation, efforts have been intensified to trace other links in the supply chain.
To verify authenticity, an expert team was called to the spot, which confirmed that all the recovered books were fake. A case has been registered under relevant legal provisions, and further investigation is underway.
Recurring Rackets and Ongoing Investigation
Notably, Meerut and other parts of West UP have witnessed similar incidents in the past. Though such rackets are periodically dismantled, they often resurface after brief gaps, operating through new channels. Initial indications in this case also point toward a wider inter-state network.
Education experts emphasize the need for both strict enforcement and public awareness. Parents and students are advised to purchase textbooks only from authorized sellers and remain cautious of unusually low prices.
Authorities are now probing deeper into the network to identify the source of printing and other individuals involved. More arrests and significant revelations are expected in the coming days as the investigation progresses.
