ED attaches ₹25.44 crore assets in Monad University fake degree racket
Synopsis
The ED has attached ₹25.44 crore in assets — including a farmhouse, flats, and vehicles — tied to a fake degree syndicate run through Monad University, Hapur. With over 1,800 students implicated and alleged Proceeds of Crime of ₹37.66 crore, this is one of the largest educational fraud money-laundering cases in Uttar Pradesh in recent years.
Key Takeaways
The ED, Lucknow Zonal Office provisionally attached assets worth ₹25.44 crore on 20 July under PMLA, 2002 .
Attached assets include a farmhouse , multiple flats , and vehicles in the names of accused and their family members.
Vijendra Singh Hooda , Chairman of Monad University , is among the key accused, allegedly in connivance with Sandeep Sehrawat .
Records of more than 1,800 students who received forged documents have been traced.
Alleged Proceeds of Crime total approximately ₹37.66 crore , laundered through cash and layered bank transactions.
The UP STF filed a charge sheet against 11 accused on 11 August 2025 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 .
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Lucknow Zonal Office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹25.44 crore in connection with a large-scale fake degree and forged academic documents racket allegedly operated through Monad University, Hapur, Uttar Pradesh. The provisional attachment order was issued on Monday, 20 July under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Assets Attached
The attached properties include a farmhouse, multiple flats, and vehicles registered in the names of the accused and their family members. The action marks a significant escalation in the money-laundering probe linked to what investigators describe as a well-organised academic fraud syndicate.
How the Racket Operated
Vijendra Singh Hooda, Chairman of Monad University, allegedly colluded with Sandeep Sehrawat and other associates to misuse the university's name, official machinery, and institutional resources to issue counterfeit documents. Fake mark sheets, degrees, provisional certificates, migration certificates, and other academic papers were reportedly sold to students for monetary gain.
Records of more than 1,800 students who received such forged documents have been traced so far, according to investigators. The accused allegedly generated Proceeds of Crime (PoC) amounting to approximately ₹37.66 crore. A significant portion of this money was reportedly received in cash and subsequently laundered through multiple bank accounts and layered transactions.
Origins of the ED Probe
The ED initiated its investigation on the basis of an FIR filed by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (UP STF), which first exposed the syndicate. The UP STF filed a charge sheet on 11 August 2025 against 11 accused persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
During its probe, the ED conducted searches under Section 17 of PMLA at multiple premises and seized incriminating materials, including fake mark sheets, degrees, and verification applications. This is the latest in a series of ED actions targeting educational fraud across India, where forged credentials have increasingly been used to secure government jobs and private employment.
Impact and Investigation Ahead
The case underscores the systematic misuse of a recognised educational institution for large-scale fraud, with direct consequences for the credibility of academic qualifications and the prospects of genuine students who studied at the university. Further investigation is underway to trace the complete money trail and identify all beneficiaries of the racket, according to officials.
Point of View
It raises hard questions about the University Grants Commission's real-time audit capacity. With 1,800-plus students implicated, the damage extends beyond criminal liability: genuine graduates of Monad University now carry a credential under a cloud. The ED's PMLA action is necessary, but the deeper fix requires the UGC and state governments to build live verification infrastructure that makes forged documents technically impossible to pass off — not just criminally prosecutable after the fact.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Monad University fake degree racket?
It is an alleged large-scale fraud in which forged mark sheets, degrees, provisional certificates, and migration certificates were prepared and sold to students using the name and official machinery of Monad University, Hapur, Uttar Pradesh. Records of more than 1,800 students who received such documents have been traced by investigators.
Why has the ED attached ₹25.44 crore in assets?
The ED attached assets worth ₹25.44 crore under PMLA, 2002, because the money is believed to constitute Proceeds of Crime generated by the fake degree syndicate. The total alleged PoC in the case is approximately ₹37.66 crore, laundered through cash and multiple bank accounts.
Who are the key accused in the Monad University fraud case?
Vijendra Singh Hooda, Chairman of Monad University, is the primary accused, allegedly operating in connivance with Sandeep Sehrawat and other associates. The UP STF filed a charge sheet against 11 accused persons on 11 August 2025 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
What assets has the ED seized in this case?
The provisionally attached assets include a farmhouse, multiple flats, and vehicles registered in the names of the accused persons and their family members. The ED also seized incriminating materials — including fake mark sheets, degrees, and verification applications — during searches under Section 17 of PMLA.
What happens next in the investigation?
Further investigation is underway to trace the complete money trail and identify all beneficiaries of the racket, according to officials. The ED's provisional attachment order is a precursor to formal proceedings under PMLA, which could lead to confiscation of the attached assets.
