Fake NCERT Books Racket Exposed in Hazaribagh, FIRs Filed Against Three Shops

Hazaribagh: The district administration in Hazaribagh has launched a major crackdown on the alleged sale of fake NCERT textbooks, registering FIRs against three bookshops after counterfeit Class 9 books were found being sold in the city.

The shops named in the FIRs are Sangam Book Depot, Gyan Bhandar-1 and Gyan Bhandar-2.

Officials said the administration had been receiving repeated complaints about fake NCERT books being sold as genuine publications in local markets. Acting on these complaints, the district administration initiated an investigation.

Following instructions from Deputy Commissioner Hemant Sati, a team conducted simultaneous raids at all three shops on Friday.

During the inspections, officials examined the stock of NCERT textbooks and found several books lacking the official hologram used to verify authentic NCERT publications. Authorities also noted poor paper quality, weak binding and substandard printing, raising strong suspicions that the books were counterfeit.

When questioned, the shop owners claimed that they purchased old NCERT books from students and resold them. However, officials believe the case may involve a larger organised network dealing in fake textbooks rather than simple resale activity.

The suspected counterfeit books were seized in the presence of local residents and witnesses. FIRs were later registered against the shopkeepers under the Copyright Act, 1957.

The district administration said strict action would continue against anyone involved in fraud related to education. Authorities have also appealed to parents and students to buy books only from authorised and trusted sellers and immediately report any suspicious activity regarding fake textbooks.

With inputs from IANS