Pune: MLA Rohit Pawar on Thursday alleged that the suspension of a Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) employee over an alleged fake degree and marksheet scam could only be the tip of the iceberg, and demanded a comprehensive forensic audit to unearth a larger racket.
In the wake of the alleged scam, he also demanded a detailed audit of degree certificates issued by the university since 2015.
Pawar made these demands after meeting SPPU Vice-Chancellor Suresh Gosavi and other officials of the university in the wake of the allegations.
University employee Ramesh Mukhekar was suspended and an FIR was registered against him after he allegedly accepted Rs 70,000 from a student on the pretext of arranging a degree certificate and marksheet.
Mukhekar is accused of taking money from a student's father and providing him with a fake B Com marksheet and degree certificate.
Praising the complainant for coming forward despite alleged pressure, Pawar said the student's father decided to expose the wrongdoing after realising that other students could also become victims.
"I congratulate the complainant for showing courage. Even after submitting a complaint to the university nearly a month ago, no action was taken. It was only after the media highlighted the issue and it gained traction on social media that the university initiated action over the last three days," Pawar told reporters.
The action against Mukhekar should not mark the end of the investigation, the MLA representing the Karjat-Jamkhed assembly constituency in Ahilyanagar district said.
"One degree certificate has come to light, which means there could be several such certificates issued in a similar manner. The university must explain what verification it will carry out to identify such cases," he said.
Pawar demanded a forensic examination of the accused employee's mobile phone and WhatsApp records to identify other beneficiaries and possible accomplices.
"The mobile phone should undergo forensic analysis and the WhatsApp chats should be examined. Though chat history may be available only for a limited period, investigators must recover as much digital evidence as possible," he said.
The NCP (SP) leader also sought a detailed audit of degree certificates issued since 2015, saying Mukhekar had reportedly been associated with the university's examination system since 2016.
"There should be an audit of all PRN numbers, enrolment numbers, seat numbers and degree certificates printed during this period. The university must ascertain how many certificates were issued, to whom they were issued and whether any irregularities exist," he said.
Pawar alleged that it would be difficult for a lower-level employee to run such an operation without support from others.
"It is difficult to believe that such a person could carry out these activities alone. The investigation should determine who else was involved and whether the network extended to higher levels," he said.
Claiming that more people had started approaching those who exposed the case, Pawar said, "Anonymous calls are being received and people are coming forward with information. This indicates that the racket may run much deeper and should not be viewed as an isolated incident involving just one employee."
On Wednesday, the SPPU administration approached the police after suspending Mukhekar for allegedly taking money from a student and providing him with a fake B Com marksheet and degree certificate, officials have said.
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
