The Manesar Crime Branch of Gurgaon Police has arrested Vinay Kataria, the chairman of Educrest International School, for allegedly running a fraudulent operation involving fake CBSE affiliation. The arrest took place on Friday, March 6, 2026, near Bilaspur Chowk after weeks of investigation. Kataria is accused of deceiving parents and students by admitting children into senior classes without having the necessary government permissions to conduct them.
How the School Defrauded Students
According to police reports, Educrest International School in Sector 9B was only permitted to run classes up to Grade 8. However, the management, led by Chairman Vinay Kataria, admitted students into Class 9 and 10 by showing forged affiliation documents. They even printed a fake registration number in the school prospectus to convince parents of their legitimacy.
The fraud came to light on February 17, 2026, when 11 students of Class 10 were denied admit cards for their upcoming CBSE Mathematics board examination. Gurgaon Police PRO Sandeep Turan stated that Kataria has confessed to the crime, admitting that his motive was to “mint money” from unsuspecting parents. The school collected hefty amounts under various heads, which they were not authorized to charge for senior secondary education.
- Tuition Fees: Charged for unauthorized senior classes.
- Building Fund: Large sums collected for infrastructure.
- Examination Fees: Collected for board exams that never happened.
- Other Charges: Computer fees, Uniform, and Sports fees.
Police Action and Court Proceedings
Following the arrest, a city court remanded Vinay Kataria to five days of police custody on Saturday for further interrogation. The police are now focusing on tracing other key officials named in the FIR, including Principal Riddhima Kataria, Vice-Principal Nidhi Batra, and Coordinator Sonia, who are currently absconding. The FIR was initially registered on February 18 at the Sector 9A police station after parents staged protests.
The impact of this fraud was severe on the students. While the school failed to provide CBSE admit cards, the Punjab and Haryana High Court intervened on February 23. The court allowed 9 of the affected students to appear for their exams under the Haryana Board of School Education to save their academic year. Kataria now faces serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including cheating and criminal breach of trust.
