GURUGRAM (Saturday, March 7, 2026) — Gurugram Police have arrested the chairman of Educrest International School, located in Sector 9B, for allegedly defrauding parents and students by falsely claiming the institution had CBSE accreditation for Class 9 and 10. The scam, which left dozens of students unable to sit for their national board exams, came to light last month when hall tickets were never issued.
The Arrest and Interrogation
On Friday, March 6, the Gurugram Police Crime Branch (Manesar unit) arrested Vinay Kataria (38), the chairman of the school, from the Bilaspur area.
- The Confession: During interrogation, Kataria admitted that while the school has been operational for eight years, its valid CBSE affiliation only extended up to Class 8.
- The Deception: To maximize profits, he reportedly fabricated accreditation documents and a fake affiliation number to enroll 25 students into Class 9 and 10.
- Absconding Accused: Police are still searching for three other officials named in the FIR: Principal Riddhima Kataria, Vice Principal Simar Batra, and Coordinator Sonia.
How the Scam Collapsed
The fraud was exposed on February 17, 2026, when 11 students realized they would miss their CBSE Class 10 Mathematics exam because the school failed to provide admit cards.
- “Adjustment” Failure: The school reportedly tried to “adjust” these students by showing them on the rolls of a partner school in Delhi. However, that Delhi school was recently de-affiliated, causing the arrangement to collapse.
- Parental Discovery: When parents confronted the management, they found the school’s registration number on the official CBSE portal was nonexistent or falsified.
- Last-Minute Change: Following a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, nine of the affected students were allowed to sit for the Haryana Board exams instead, despite having studied the CBSE curriculum all year.
Legal Charges
An FIR was registered at the Sector 9A Police Station under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS):
| Section | Offense |
| Section 318(4) | Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property. |
| Section 316(2) | Criminal breach of trust. |
| Section 3(5) | Joint liability (acts done with common intention). |
Sources
- Press Trust of India (PTI): “Gurugram school defrauds students by fake CBSE accreditation; chairman arrested” (March 7, 2026)
- The Times of India: “Gurgaon school fails to get admit cards, Class 10 students miss first CBSE paper” (February 18, 2026)
- Hindustan Times: “Educrest International School Chairman Vinay Kataria arrested in CBSE fraud case” (March 7, 2026)
- Live Hindustan: “गुरुग्राम: फर्जी मान्यता दिखाकर 10वीं में एडमिशन, स्कूल चेयरमैन गिरफ्तार” (March 7, 2026)
- The Economic Times: “Gurgaon: Class 10 students miss board exam after school’s affiliation found fake” (February 19, 2026)
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