Telangana student deported from US over fake documents, agent arrested in Hyderabad

A student from Telangana was arrested in Hyderabad after being deported from the United States for allegedly using forged documents to secure a student visa.

The incident has also led to the arrest of the head of an overseas education consultancy firm.

The student, 28-year-old Pakeeru Gopal Reddy from Nalgonda, was taken into custody by RGIA police on June 1 after landing at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

According to the FIR, Reddy had submitted fake academic certificates, allegedly procured from Dhanalaxmi Overseas Consultancy in B N Reddy Nagar, Hyderabad, to gain admission to a US university.

Following his reported admission to immigration authorities about using forged documents, police arrested Katoju Ashok, 29, managing director of Sri Dhanalakshmi Overseas Private Limited, on June 2.

Investigators seized 150 fake mark sheets, provisional certificates, and recommendation letters from Madurai Kamaraj University and Osmania University, along with ₹10 lakh in cash.

“He completed one year of the course and came back and overstayed here for five months. When he returned to the US, the immigration officials checked the SEVIS, and it was found to be inactive. They deported him,” said V Sreekanth Goud, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shamshabad division.

Reddy had travelled to the US 17 months ago for a two-year master’s program at Webster University in Missouri.

After returning to India for several months, he attempted to re-enter the US but was sent back after the inactive status of his SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record raised red flags.

“We arrested Ashok and seized 150 forged mark statements, provisional certificates, and recommendation letters from Madurai Kamaraj University and Osmania University, ₹10 lakh cash, etc. He has confessed to sending 15 students to the US in the last five years by charging around ₹1 lakh,” a police officer said.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and more arrests could follow as they track the consultancy’s activities over recent years.