Submitting forged mark sheets for recruitment to the post of Peon at the Bombay High Court has landed five candidates in serious trouble. The Azad Maidan Police have registered a case of cheating and forgery against all five for presenting bogus documents during the selection process.
The accused have been identified as Avinash Sudhakar Pachpille (Washim), Ajay Bhaudev Gayki (Buldhana), Rishikesh Suresh Kedare (Kolhapur), Mangesh Subhash Rane (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), and Vikram Paranjape (Yavatmal). According to police, all of them are residents of different districts across Maharashtra. Their statements will soon be recorded following further investigation.
The complaint in the case was lodged by Ganesh Lalji Javare, who serves as Assistant Manager in the Personnel Department of the Appellate Branch of the Bombay High Court.
As per officials, on 21 March 2023, the High Court had issued a recruitment notification for the posts of Peon. A minimum qualification of passing Class 7 was required for the position. Following the advertisement, the application process was conducted from 24 March to 7 April 2023, during which several candidates applied for the posts.
The selection process included a screening test, physical assessment, and an interview. Out of all the applicants, 128 candidates were selected and appointed.
Subsequently, a confidential verification of the selected candidates was conducted through the Principal District and Sessions Judges of their respective local districts. In addition to background checks by the police, educational certificates were also verified.
During this verification process, suspicion arose regarding the authenticity of the mark sheets submitted by five candidates. Their documents were sent to the respective educational institutions for further examination.
Upon receiving confirmation from the concerned schools, it was revealed that all five candidates had submitted forged mark sheets. They had attempted to mislead the Bombay High Court in order to secure government jobs through fraudulent means.
Once the fraud came to light, Ganesh Javare filed a complaint at the Azad Maidan Police Station against all five candidates. Following the complaint, the police registered an FIR against Avinash Pachpille, Ajay Gayki, Rishikesh Kedare, Mangesh Rane, and Vikram Paranjape under charges of forgery and cheating.
Police said that an investigation is currently underway to determine the source of the fake documents. Further action will be taken against all individuals found involved in the fabrication and submission of these bogus certificates.