Shimla Court Seeks Fugitive Status for Manav Bharati University Fake Degree Accused
The Shimla Sub-Zonal Unit of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed an application under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), 2018, against two individuals in connection with the alleged sale of fake degrees by Manav Bharati University, located in Laddo, Sultanpur, Solan.
Details of the Case
The application was submitted before the Special Court (PMLA), Special Judge, District and Sessions Court, Shimla. The accused are Ashoni Kanwar, wife of Raj Kumar Rana, and Mandeep Rana, son of Raj Kumar Rana. The alleged criminal activity resulted in Proceeds of Crime (POC) amounting to approximately Rs 387 crore.
Investigation Findings
During the investigation, it was found that Ashoni Kanwar and Mandeep Rana were residing in Australia. Despite being summoned, they did not join the investigation. Consequently, the ED filed a prosecution complaint on December 12, 2022. The court took cognizance of the complaint on January 4, 2023, and issued summons, which were ignored by the accused.
Legal Actions
Open-ended nonbailable warrants were issued by the court on November 4, 2023. The ED has now filed an application to initiate proceedings under Section 10 of the FEOA, 2018, and to declare both individuals as fugitive economic offenders under Section 12 of the same act.
Doubts Revealed
Shimla -: Shimla is a city in India, located in the state of Himachal Pradesh. It is known for its beautiful hills and cool weather.
Court -: A court is a place where legal cases are heard and decided by a judge.
Fugitive Status -: Fugitive status means that someone is being officially recognized as running away from the law or avoiding arrest.
Manav Bharati University -: Manav Bharati University is a private university in India. It has been accused of selling fake degrees.
Fake Degree -: A fake degree is a certificate that says someone has completed a course or earned a degree when they actually haven’t.
Shimla Sub-Zonal Unit -: This is a local branch of a larger government agency in Shimla that deals with financial crimes.
Directorate of Enforcement (ED) -: The Directorate of Enforcement is a government agency in India that investigates financial crimes like money laundering.
Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), 2018 -: This is a law in India that helps the government catch and punish people who run away after committing financial crimes.
Ashoni Kanwar and Mandeep Rana -: These are the names of the people accused of selling fake degrees from Manav Bharati University.
Australia -: Australia is a country far away from India, where the accused people are currently living.
Nonbailable warrants -: A nonbailable warrant means that if the accused are caught, they cannot be released on bail and must stay in jail until their trial.
