Pharma institute principal arrested for collecting lakhs in fake degree scam

Police in Bahraich have arrested the principal of a pharmaceutical institute on charges of collecting lakhs of rupees in fees from students and providing them with forged educational documents. The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a case that had left dozens of students distressed and uncertain about their academic futures.

Surendra Kumar Singh, also known as Surendra Rathore, who served as principal of Nanda Institute of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology in Bahraich, was taken into custody following a complaint filed by Ravi Pratap, a resident of Balrampur district. The complainant had approached Bahraich Superintendent of Police Vishwajit Srivastava with allegations that the institute was charging students lakhs of rupees in fees while issuing fake academic credentials. The matter prompted immediate action, with a case registered at Ramgaon police station under sections 419, 420, 467, and 468 of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with cheating, forgery, and use of forged documents.

The investigation, supervised by Additional Superintendent of Police Rural Durga Prasad Tiwari and Circle Officer Mahsi Pawan Kumar, was led by Station House Officer Divakar Tiwari and his team. During the probe, police examined all institutional records and gathered evidence confirming the allegations. Singh, a resident of Dhanawa village in Khairighat area, was arrested from the institute premises on Nanpara Road, Taibazot.

This is not Singh's first brush with the law. Police records show he was previously named in another case registered in 2025 under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Following his arrest, the accused principal was produced before a local court for further legal proceedings. The case has raised serious questions about oversight and regulation of private educational institutions in the region.