Enforcement Directorate seeks property details of Manav Bharti University owner, family

Ambika Sharma
Tribune News Service
Solan, November 3

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought the details of properties owned by Rajkumar Rana, owner of the tainted Manav Bharti University, his family members and the trust running the university from the Deputy Commissioner, Solan.

The university is involved in a multi-crore fake degree scam and the ED is investigating the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PML) Act, 2002, against it.

“The ED has sought the details of properties owned and held by seven persons, including Rajkumar Rana, his wife Ashoni Kanwar, son Mandeep Rana, daughter Aaina Rana and employees – Parmod Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Anupama Thakur,” said officials of the district administration.

Pramod Kumar was a data entry operator, who maintained the record of fake degrees, money received from candidates as well as other documentation. He had been working with the university for the last about six years. He was arrested on March 10 but was bailed out.

Anupama Thakur was the university’s registrar who was also arrested by a special investigation team in March but was bailed out by a court. Krishan Kumar, is an old associate of Rana who was also its former registrar. He is still in jail.

“The ED has sought the details of properties owned by the Manav Bharti Charitable Trust and Manav Bharti University, Lado village, Sultanpur. Permanent Account Numbers (PAN) of Rana and his family members as well as the trust have also been provided to the district administration and the certified copies of the registered sale deeds, present status and value of the properties and their circle rates this year have been sought,” said officials.

Land measuring 45.10 bighas has also been taken by the university on lease in Pachhad tehsil of Sirmaur district for setting up another university, some years ago. Besides the main campus, about Rs 10 lakh was also earned from the shops rented outside the campus.

A case of cheating and forgery was registered against the university management in March after the secretary of the HP Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission had complained that 103 degrees /diplomas issued by it were found to be fake.