Tax officer held in fake marksheet racket

Sindhu Kannan

The fake marksheet racket busted in the city on Friday last with the arrest of three people from Vyasarpadi is getting bigger with the police investigation revealing that one of the accused is a deputy commercial tax officer.

Police sources said G Devaraj, 54, joined the commercial taxes department in 1994 as a junior assistant after clearing an examination. Devaraj was promoted as deputy commercial tax officer a month ago and posted in the assessment wing of the office located in Evening Bazaar near Chennai Central.

Police said he came in contact with the other accused – Karunakaran and Moorthy – 10 years ago when he wanted a fake marksheet for his cousin. Karunakaran and Moorthy were already involved in preparing fake certificates. Soon, he joined them in the racket hoping to make a quick buck.His contacts helped him get clients from overseas and the gang started preparing fake certificates of foreign universities. His clients abroad sent him images of certificates on WhatsApp, based on which the gang made fake lists and degree certificates.

“Though we grew suspicious when they found a visiting card indicating his designation during his arrest, he did not disclose that he was employed with the commercial taxes department,” R Sudhakar, deputy commissioner of police (Pulianthope), told TOI.

When police checked with the department, it was confirmed that he was employed with it since 1994. Though he claimed to have done BSc and BL, police suspect he was a school dropout. Police said Devaraj was deserted by his wife and two sons as they suspected him to be involved in criminal activities. He was staying with a friend in BSNL quarters in Vyasarpadi.

The commercial taxes department is likely to initiate action against him. Officials are scrutinizing the certificates submitted by him to check whether they were genuine. Police are also checking how Devaraj managed to get a job in the commercial taxes department and are trying to find out if he had clients in his department to whom he may have supplied fake certificates.

Devaraj, who is in jail after being remanded in judicial custody, is likely to be taken into police custody soon. Police arrested Devaraj and Moorthy when they came to a place in Vyasarpadi to affix seal on a fake certificate created for a client. Rubber stamps with fake seals of Anna University were seized from them.

Source: indiatimes