Lucknow: In a major revelation, an investigation into a fake degree racket has stunned the police, with findings indicating that a significant number of forged B Pharma degrees were circulated across eastern Uttar Pradesh districts over the past five years.As per the recent media report by The Times of India, acting on intelligence inputs, the cyber crime cell of the Prayagraj Police Commissionerate arrested two key accused—Sashi Prakash Rai alias Rajan Sharma and Manish Kumar Rai — both residents of Azamgarh, on March 25. They have been charged with operating a fraudulent website impersonating the Uttar Pradesh Board and producing fake marksheets and degrees from multiple institutions.According to the investigation, the accused had been running the racket since 2014 and are believed to have sold more than 7,000 fake degrees over the past 11 years. A large share of these counterfeit B Pharma certificates was distributed in eastern UP regions such as Prayagraj, Varanasi, Azamgarh, Jaunpur, and Lucknow.Also Read: B.Pharm Graduate Allegedly Dies by Suicide After Consuming PoisonPolice findings further revealed that B Pharma degrees were in particularly high demand, especially among individuals intending to open medical stores or pharmacies. Shockingly, the alleged mastermind, Sashi Prakash Rai, himself reportedly possesses a fake B Pharma degree obtained from a college based in Haridwar.A senior police official stated that authorities are now working to identify individuals who procured these fake qualifications. Out of the total 7,000 degrees circulated, around 2,500 have been confirmed as fake so far.Investigators also uncovered that the accused had established a call centre in Azamgarh under the name “Shri Education.” Through this setup, they created a fake website mimicking the Board of Secondary Education, Uttar Pradesh, and promoted their services on Facebook, offering to manipulate marks and generate counterfeit marksheets.Once contacted by candidates, parents, or even institutions, the racketeers arranged forged seals, holograms, and templates closely resembling those of legitimate universities and boards. They then digitally altered records to produce backdated high school, intermediate, and university certificates, TOI reported.After preparing the documents, the accused sold these forged marksheets and degrees at prices ranging between ₹4,000 and ₹5,000 per document, delivering them via courier. The profits earned from these illegal transactions were shared among the members of the racket.Police sources confirmed that at least seven FIRs have been registered across the state in connection with the case, and further investigation is currently underway, reports TOI.Also Read: PCI Approves Two MPharm Courses with 15 Seats Each at Gorakhpur University from 2026-27