By Our Reporter
Shillong, Dec 23: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said its Guwahati zonal office conducted search operations in the fake degree certificate case against CMJ University, Shillong and its Chancellor Chandra Mohan Jha, his family members and others.
During the operations conducted under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, several incriminating documents and digital evidences were seized.
In a statement, the ED said the searches were conducted at the offices of CMJ University and CMJ Foundation and also at the residences of Jha in New Delhi and Shillong.
The ED said based on several complaints, the Governor of Meghalaya, who was the Visitor of the CMJ University, had directed the state government to dissolve the CMJ University in 2013 and the dissolution was upheld by the High Court of Meghalaya in 2021.
The statement further stated that the ED initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR and charge-sheet filed by the Meghalaya Police against the university, its chancellor and his family members who were trustees of the CMJ Foundation, and other persons, for defrauding thousands of students by giving them fake degree certificates in lieu of money.
“Around 20,570 fake degrees were awarded by M/s CMJ University despite its small faculty with highly doubtful credentials,” the ED said.
The ED investigation revealed that after selling the fake degrees, the funds so received in their bank accounts were diverted after rotating among bank accounts in various banks as fixed deposits/bank balances, mutual funds and life insurance policies maintained by the members of Jha family and given colour of genuine transactions.
The agency said the proceeds of crime (POC) were also invested in landed properties.
“From the seized digital evidences, it is found that fake degrees pertaining to the years 2012, 2013 etc, were still continued to be sold by the CMJ University at hefty prices,” the statement stated.
According to the ED, the university is also found to be running with skeletal infrastructure without proper records. Further, POC found in banks accounts to the tune of Rs 1.53 crore has been placed under freezing orders during the searches under PMLA.
The ED said the total POC has been quantified at Rs 83.52 crore and out of which, it attached properties worth Rs 48.76 crore earlier.
“One prosecution complaint in this case has already been filed in the special court (PMLA), Shillong. Further investigation is under progress,” the statement added.