30-06-2025
Utnoor cops identify fake certificate scammers
Adilabad: Following a report published in The Hans India on April 28, highlighting how individuals secured army jobs using fake certificates centered around Islamnagar village in Ichoda Mandal, Adilabad district, the district police intensified an investigation. On Sunday, Utnoor ASP Kajal Singh IPS held a press meet to reveal the details. On June 25, police at Ichoda station discovered that a man identified as Sahani Suraj had submitted a fake residence certificate claiming to be from Islamnagar and secured a job in CISF.
However, verification revealed he was actually from Uttar Pradesh. Further investigation uncovered that nine other individuals from UP contacted locals in Ichoda to obtain Aadhaar and residence certificates, each paying Rs 1 lakh. Initially, Deepak Tiwari paid Rs 4,000 for a fake Aadhaar card. When the Panchayat Secretary refused to sign the residence certificate, former Sarpanch's husband Shaikh Fareed and Shaikh Khaleem forged the secretary's signature and applied through MeeSeva to obtain a fake certificate.
After Deepak secured the job, the remaining eight followed the same process.
Verification later confirmed that none of them were residents of Islamnagar. Despite this, Fareed and Khaleem created and provided fake documents to all of them. A total of Rs 9 lakh was collected, of which Rs 3 lakh was taken by the duo, and Rs 6 lakh was reportedly sent to Hurlik, UP. When Jadhav Gajanand, a local from Islamnagar, learned of the scam, he tried to extort money from them. In response, Fareed and Khaleem paid him ₹20,000. All three—Fareed, Khaleem, and Gajanand—were remanded on June 28.
ASP Kajal Singh IPS stated that the accused encouraged outsiders to use fake certificates to secure defense jobs and that they are currently employed. Further investigation is ongoing, and more details will be revealed soon.
The press meet was also attended by Ichoda CI Bandari Raju and SI V Vishnuvardhan.
