The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into a fake degree scam involving CMJ University in Shillong.

On Monday, ED officials conducted search operations at the university’s offices and the residences of its Chancellor, Chandra Mohan Jha, and his family members.

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The searches, carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, resulted in the recovery of incriminating documents and digital evidence.

The investigation into CMJ University traces back to 2013, when the Meghalaya Governor, acting as the Visitor of the university, ordered its dissolution following complaints of fraudulent activities.

The Meghalaya High Court upheld this decision in 2021, reinforcing allegations that the university had been issuing fake degrees.

The Meghalaya Police had earlier filed an FIR and charge-sheet against the university, its chancellor, his family members, and others, accusing them of defrauding thousands of students by issuing fake degree certificates in exchange for substantial sums of money.

The ED’s probe uncovered that CMJ University allegedly issued 20,570 fake degrees despite having a limited faculty with dubious credentials.

Proceeds from the sale of fake degrees were funneled through multiple bank accounts, including fixed deposits, mutual funds, and life insurance policies, to mask their origin. Funds were reportedly diverted into real estate ventures.

Digital evidence indicated that the sale of fake degrees persisted even after 2013, with exorbitant prices charged for these certificates.

The university also operated with inadequate infrastructure and maintained poor records, underscoring its dubious functioning.

During the raids, the ED froze Rs 1.53 crore in suspected proceeds of crime held in bank accounts. To date, properties worth Rs 48.76 crore have been attached under the PMLA.

The agency estimates the total proceeds of crime in this case to be Rs 83.52 crore.

The ED has filed a prosecution complaint with the special PMLA court in Shillong, and investigations are ongoing.

CMJ University was established in 2009 through a private initiative under the CMJ Foundation. It quickly became embroiled in controversies, with allegations of fraudulent practices surfacing as early as 2013. Complaints ranged from awarding degrees without adhering to regulatory standards to operating with insufficient infrastructure and faculty.

The university’s downfall began with a landmark decision by the Meghalaya Governor to dissolve it in 2013. The move followed mounting complaints and investigations that revealed gross violations of academic integrity. Despite the dissolution order, the institution allegedly continued to operate clandestinely, issuing fraudulent degrees to unsuspecting students.