HYDERABAD: The issuance of fake certificates to job seekers and those wanting to fly abroad has gone beyond the jurisdiction of the police. The latest, consumer redressal forums have started to hear cases filed by victims of the racket that has spread its tentacles at various places in the city by extorting money to issue fake certificates.
In a recent judgment pronounced by a district consumer forum, the president held that consultancies cannot promote the issuance of a fake certificate to students applying for a visa as a form of service. While condemning such practice, the forum directed united educational services, a consultancy firm, to pay a compensation of Rs 43,000 to a student.
The issue came to light after R Roja Rani, a student, applied for an admission in Masters in Science in the silicon valley of the US based on an advertisement by the consultancy firm. She was asked to pay about Rs 42,000 for processing along with required certificates.
But, Rani informed them that she had no prior work experience and could not arrange for the certificate. The company, however, did not object to the process and claimed to take care of that requirement.
Eventually, when she went for the visa interview at the US consulate, she answered all the questions satisfactorily but when it came to work experience, she could not answer properly. The visa, then, was rejected.
The forum took a serious view of the practice through which the firm sold its services. In a stern reply, the court observed that the practice followed by consultancy firms were wrong and, equally there has been negligence in services. The firm was directed to pay Rs 40,000 to the complainant and to pay a compensation of Rs 3,000 towards court charges.