Fake Degrees Sold for Lakhs, Real ones rented to labs: UP Massive racket exposed

Patna: In a shocking incident, a major racket selling fake medical degrees and renting real medical degrees to register pathological labs has been uncovered in Uttar Pradesh. The investigation revealed how fake doctors are reportedly being created within months and how licensed doctors rent out their names to pathology labs, putting public health in danger.

A sting operation conducted by Dainik Bhaskar exposed a nexus between doctors, brokers and private universities. It revealed that fake doctors were created through shortcuts, such as purchasing a backdated degree by investing lakhs of rupees, and real doctors rented out their medical degrees for pathology lab registrations.

A fake doctor pretending to be real is involved in the racket of fake medical degrees. He reportedly sold backdated degrees to fake doctors who could practice in private clinics or even in hospitals across UP and neighbouring states. People from as far as Kashmir purchased these degrees to treat patients.

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The fake doctor gave a range of degree options for the quacks to choose from, which included BEMS, BAMS, and CMSED degrees. Rs 50,000 was being charged for CMSED, Rs 15 lakh for BAMS, and Rs 2.2 lakh for B Pharma. The prices varied depending on the broker and the location.

BEMS and BAMS are degrees in alternative medical systems (Electro-Homeopathy and Ayurveda, respectively), while CMSED is a diploma in Community Medical Service and Essential Drugs for primary healthcare, often involving practice with WHO-approved allopathic drugs. However, BEMS is not yet recognised for medical practice, and in CMSED courses, one cannot legally use “Doctor.”

This racket was not confined to Uttar Pradesh but spanned 15 universities across Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan. So far, around 10,000 people have purchased fake degrees, including doctor and engineering certificates.

Degrees for sale

The incident came to light after a sting operation in the Karhal town of Mainpuri district exposed an ongoing racket distributing degrees for money. The intel was provided by a local quack, who revealed that a scheme was running behind the facade of Indocare Hospital on the bypass road.

Behind the scheme is the Indocare Hospital director, who is himself a quack. He claimed that he could arrange several degrees that are legal, according to him.

Dr Rajik Khan introduced himself as the director of Indocare Hospital and Sai Nath Institute of Paramedical and Nursing Science. He claimed the documents for degrees could be delivered within one to six months, even with backdating, and said they could be verified online.

According to him, the process involved altering the name and address on an existing enrollment number, which he described as “original” rather than fake. When questioned about exams, he admitted there were none, adding that the degrees were made by reusing records of students who had dropped out or suffered accidents.

For backdated BEMS documents, he said the process would take at least six months. Khan himself was a quack doctor using fake degrees while posing as a physician and surgeon.

Another broker named Sachin, who runs Raj Paramedical Institute on the Mainpuri bypass, was also involved in selling fake medical degrees. He claimed that a CMSED diploma could be arranged in just one month for Rs 38,000, with an additional Rs 3,000 for a backdated certificate. To make his offer more convincing, he even showed how such degrees could be verified on a mobile phone.

Similar dealings were reported in Agra, where degrees were being offered through Sahara Skill Development College. Rani, who handled admissions, demanded Rs 80,000 for a BAMS (Alternative Medicine) degree and ₹15,000 for a CMSED with backdating, assuring that the papers would be ready within 30 days.

When reporters spoke to Pradeep Sharma, assistant to the college manager, he denied the shortcuts. He said certificates like EMT take 30–45 days, while BEMS and BAMS courses take 4.5 years to complete. No degree could be obtained in 30 days at their institution.

Former CMO Dr Umeshchandra Tripathi told Bhaskar, "Only those with BAMS, BAMS (AM), and BEMS degrees can use “Doctor” before their names. This makes these degrees highly sought after. BEMS is not yet recognised for medical practice, and in other courses, one cannot legally use “Doctor."

On May 17, 2025, police uncovered the racket linked to Monad University in Hapur. The university chairman, Vijendra Singh Hudda, along with 12 others, was arrested. Officials recovered 1,372 fake degrees and marksheets, each being sold for Rs 50,000 to Rs 4 lakh. Despite their arrests, the trade of fake degrees continues in towns like Mainpuri and Agra, highlighting a serious risk to public safety and health.

Renting degrees for labs

The sting operation also revealed another dangerous scam involving registered doctors renting out their medical degrees to pathology labs. These labs are often run by untrained people but use the rented certificate to register legally.

These labs offer false test reports to patients, putting their lives in danger. The investigation shows how doctors openly negotiate rates to allow their names to be used for multiple labs.

Dr Manish Kumar Varshney, an MD Pathologist in Aligarh, admitted renting his name. He said doctors charge Rs 10,000 per month or Rs 1.2 lakh per year. Earlier, the rate was Rs 60,000 per year, but now it costs at least Rs 75,000 - 80,000. He had earlier faced action after five labs running under his name illegally were sealed by the health department in Agra during a raid.

Another doctor, Dr Manish at Rex Diagnostic Centre near Gandhi Eye Hospital in Aligarh, was also involved with the scam. He charged Rs 75,000–80,000 for renting his degree.

Retired Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Brijendra Swaroop Bisaria, admitted that he provides documents for lab registration. For new labs, he said that they charge Rs 50,000–60,000. Every year, he said the fee goes up by Rs 10,000.

When asked how many labs were running under his name, he said around 7 to 8, though officially only 4 - 5 can be registered. This means that the other labs are running without being registered.

Doctors rent out their names to multiple labs, often far beyond the legal limit. These labs are then run by unqualified people. Patients end up getting false reports, leading to wrong treatments, unnecessary hospital admissions, and huge financial losses.

In one case, a person with a cough was diagnosed with cancer. A second test at another lab showed there was no cancer. In another case, a lab falsely diagnosed more than 100 patients with malaria, hepatitis, thyroid, anaemia, and kidney or liver infections. They were admitted to private hospitals, which earned huge commissions.

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