Shaking the credibility of India’s higher education system, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has busted a sophisticated fake degree racket operating under the guise of Monad University. The scam, allegedly led by 12th-pass Sandeep Sehrawat from Palwal and his associate Rajesh, a 10th-pass resident of Ballabhgarh, has resulted in the issuance of over 1 lakh fraudulent degrees. Shockingly, the illicit network is not limited to India but has also managed to sell fake qualifications to individuals in Canada and London.
The degrees, complete with mark sheets and authentic-looking seals, were sold to clients from states like Bihar, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, the Northeast, Karnataka, and Kerala. These documents were often used to secure employment or further education, creating a widespread issue of forged academic legitimacy.
A 10th and 12th Pass Duo at the Helm
What makes the case even more bizarre is the educational background of the key culprits. According to STF sources, Sandeep Sehrawat, the mastermind, had no formal education beyond Class 12, while Rajesh—his right-hand man—was a Class 10 dropout. Yet, the two orchestrated a complex, scalable racket capable of producing degrees ranging from undergraduate to doctoral levels, all for a price.
Their operation was so refined that clients could request degrees from specific streams or years, and receive them without ever setting foot on a college campus. Fake degrees in engineering, law, and even medical fields were allegedly distributed.
Sources also reveal Sandeep maintained close connections with political figures in Haryana, allegedly funding election campaigns, which may have allowed the racket to function with impunity for years.
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STF Probes International Links and Political Nexus
The STF’s investigation is now focusing on the international arms of the operation, especially in Canada and the UK, where individuals are believed to have purchased fake degrees for immigration, employment, or education purposes. The STF is coordinating with central intelligence and foreign agencies to track overseas recipients and assess any national security implications.
Officials also suspect a wider political cover-up, as the scale and duration of the scam indicate potential collusion at multiple levels of administration and education boards. Authorities have seized digital records, counterfeit seals, and forged certificates during raids and are currently identifying beneficiaries and accomplices within educational institutions.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also been informed, and Monad University itself is likely to face inquiries to ascertain the extent of its involvement or negligence.