The probe has expanded to Pune, Parbhani, Dharashiv, Kolhapur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts.At least 71 candidates recruited to the Maharashtra Police and other government departments since 2023 are under the scanner for allegedly securing jobs using fake Kurash proficiency certificates, while around 1,500 such certificates dated between 2016 and 2023 were distributed through the alleged racket, a Pune Crime Branch probe has revealed.The alleged racket, investigators believe, was aimed at exploiting the five per cent sports quota in government recruitment, including Group 1 and Group 2 positions through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). The matter came to light after Pune police received confidential information about candidates submitting certificates purportedly showing their participation and achievements in Kurash competitions. Kurash is a traditional Central Asian martial art and combat sport involving throws, balance and grappling techniques. It is included in the Asian Games.A senior Crime Branch officer said the investigation had found several discrepancies in the certificates and supporting documents. These included records showing candidates as participants or winners of district, state and higher-level competitions that, according to the preliminary probe, may never have taken place.A case was registered at Shivajinagar police station on September 3 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Shivaji Jaywant Salunkhe, 46, and Ankush Vitthal Nagar, 40, were arrested the same day. Police said the two suspects claimed to be office bearers of the Kurash Association of Maharashtra, which was neither affiliated with the national association nor registered anywhere.According to investigators, some documents submitted to government authorities showed candidates as having participated in competitions that were either not held or whose records did not match the certificates. Police are now cross-checking competition records and documents submitted by district-level associations, many of which were unregistered.“Investigation has found discrepancies in documents received from district organisations. Another aspect being examined is the presence — or absence — of government sports officials during the competitions cited in the certificates. The probe has found that representatives of government sports authorities were allegedly not present at some of the events shown in the records. We have also come across cases in which people were shown as referees for competitions despite allegedly not possessing the requisite knowledge or certification to officiate at national or international-level events,” said an officer.The scale of the alleged fraud has prompted investigators to examine the recruitment records of the 71 candidates identified so far. According to information obtained from the Directorate of Sports and Physical Education, the candidates were recruited in the police and other government departments from 2023 after claiming sports-quota benefits on the basis of Kurash certificates.Story continues below this adThe Crime Branch is now trying to establish who prepared the certificates, who distributed them and whether candidates knowingly submitted forged documents. Investigators are also examining whether intermediaries were involved and whether candidates paid money to obtain certificates showing participation or victories in competitions. The probe has expanded to Pune, Parbhani, Dharashiv, Kolhapur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts.Police are expected to scrutinise the original certificates, competition records, signatures, correspondence and recruitment documents before determining how many candidates benefited from the alleged racket. The exact number of fraudulent certificates and government appointments secured using them will become clearer as the investigation progresses.Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our storiesTags:pune