Fraud institution in South Asia traced

by News Desk
July 2, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1558/fraud-institution-in-south-asia-traced

A group of Indian nationals are continuing to use the name of Nottingham Trent University [NTU] in United Kingdom as well as several institutions in the world, including United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan and United Kingdom in cheating thousands of students in India and Bangladesh.

According to information, Indian nationals named Deepak Seth, A.K. Nair and Garima Shivastava, along with a racket of frauds are running couple of fake institutions named Pearl Fashion Institute, Pearl Academy of Fashion, etc, thus pretending to be affiliates of Nottingham Trent University. This racket is offering diploma, honors and masters degrees to students against 'tuition fee' of US$ 3,000-8,000.

On its website, Pearl Academy of Fashion claims to be affiliated with Nottingham Trent University [NTU], United Kingdom; LDT, Nagold, Germany; Domus Academy, Milan, Italy and NABA, Milan, Italy. It also claims to be associate of: Adam Smith College, FIFE, Scotland; Amsterdam Fashion Institute [AMFI], the Netherlands; Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, UK; Bunka University, Tokyo, Japan; Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles, USA; Heriot-Watt University, School of Textile & Design, Scotland, UK; Hong Kong Polytechnic University [HKPU], Hong Kong; Kent State University, Ohio, USA; London College of Fashion, UK; London College of Communication, UK; NHL University, the Netherlands; Newham College of Further Education, London, UK; Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK; Portsmouth University, UK; Ravensbourne, London, UK; Swiss Textile College, Switzerland; University of the West of England, Bristol, UK; University College for Creative Arts at Rochester, Kent, UK; University of Wolverhampton, UK; India Trade Promotion Organisation [ITPO]; Fashion Design Council of India [FDCI]; National Retail Federation [NRF], USA; Netherlands Senior Experts [PUM]; German Development Corporation [GTZ]; Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts [EPCH], New Delhi; National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India; National Centre for Design and Product Development [NCDPD], GOI Indian Retail School, New Delhi; National Entrepreneurship Network [NEN]; Dutch Design Fashion Architecture [DDFA]and Gap, Inc. On investigation it has been found that, most of the listed organizations are either non-existent or the fraudulent Pearl Academy of Fashion is using their names simply to allure people into their tricky fraud trap.

On the 'collaboration' between Pearl Academy of Fashion and Nottingham Trent University [NTU], PAF on its website says, "One of the top few institutions in the world of Fashion Education, NTU, UK validates all our B.A. [Hons] & Masters Programmes. NTU has been our closest partner since 1995. Nottingham Trent University [NTU] is among the top-ranking UK universities. It has over 25,000 students, a fifth of whom are from overseas. It offers graduate and post-graduate programmes with scope for a range of qualifications across 11 disciplinary areas. In UK, it is acknowledged for its industry orientation, employability of its students and is reputed for its research outputs and contributions.

"NTU is also well-known in the UK for collaborative partnerships for educational delivery; it is partnered with a significant number of other UK colleges, as well as with overseas institutions in 8 countries. PAF is designated as a delegated centre by the University having institutional approval to deliver BA [Hons] Degree Programme leading to its awards at all PAF centres. NTU 's Centres for Academic Standards and Quality [CASQ] oversee programmes through nominated verifiers and external examiners under the quality assurance frame work.

"NTU's collaborative partnership with Pearl Academy was highly commended and identified as a model case for a range of attributes such as industry linkages, institutional growth and staff development by UK's highest independent Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education [QAA]."

Pearl Academy of Fashion [PAF] established a branch of its fraudulent trap in Bangladesh few years back under the name and title of Pearl Fashion Institute [PFI], which has no permission or license issued by the Bangladesh government for operating such courses in the country. PFI has already cheated hundreds of innocent students in Bangladesh by selling fake certificates.

Most importantly, after publication of reports in Weekly Blitz, Pearl Fashion Inbstitute has deleted its claim of having campuses in United Arab Emirates and Ahmedabad [India] from its website. It is also learnt that, Pearl Academy of Fashion in United Arab Emirates suddenly fled the country, when its fradulant activities and selling of fake degrees came into the attention of the local law enforcing agencies. There is warrant of arrest in United Arab Emirates against Deepak Seth and AK Nair as well as a few of the so-called teachers of this fake institutions UAE branch.

This fake Pearl Fashion Institute is using names of a number Bangladeshi national as well as foreigners working in Bangladesh as their advisors. This list includes: Ziaul Amin, Managing Director, AZ Fashion Group; Syed Naved Husain, Group Director & CEO, Beximco; Rina Latif [claimed to be Extremely popular & well established Designer of international repute]; Maheen Khan, CEO, Mayasir; Aneela Huque, CEO, Andes Advertising; Kuhu Plomondon, Designer & Painter; Prof. Rafiqun Nabi, Professor, Institute of Fine Arts; Manish Chawla, Country Head, H&M; Suman Tripathi, Country Manager, Lindex; Prof. Jamal, Associate Professor, Institute of Fine Arts; Zahid Quashem, Director, Far East Knitting & Dying Industries Limited; A Momen, Director, HR Textile Mills Limited – Pride Group and Matiul Islam, Chairman, Industrial and Infrastructure development Finance Company Limited.

When contacted, a number of 'advisors' of Pearl Fashion Institute expressed their surprise for continuing to use their names on the fraudulent activities of this illegal institution.

Pearl Fashion Institute also claims placement and job opportunities to its students with: BEXIMCO, ASMARA Bangladesh, Pelican Resources Limited, DOEL Industries Limited, Norwest Industries Limited, FORTUNEX, H.R. Textiles Limited, PALMAL Group, EPIC Group, PRIDE Group, Far East, Mascot Group, H&M, Li & Fung [Bangladesh] Limited, TCNC Limited, RADIANCE Group, Softex Cotton etc.

Nurul Islam Nahid, Minister, Education Ministry in Bangladesh said, Pearl Fashion Institute is operating illegally in the country and necessary legal action will be taken against it soon.

Chairman of University Grant Commission, Dr. Prof. A K Azad Chowdhury said, "There is no scope for any foreign university or institution in offering Honours or Masters Degrees in Bangladesh. He said Pearl Fashion Institute is a fake entity.

Garima Shivastava, commenting on Pearl Fashion Institute said, this is a mere "coaching center and certificates given to the students will be of no value."

She said, "Certificates of PFI are just for those, who want status in the society being having a Graduation or Masters Degree holders."

From the statement of Garima Shivastava, it is clear that, Pearl Academy of Fashion in India as well as Pearl Fashion Institute in Bangladesh are simply 'Degree Mills' selling fake degrees to the people in exchange of exorbitant amount of money.

Pearl Fashion Institute is collecting millions of Taka from Bangladesh students every month and all such collected funds are deposited in a bank account with HSBC Bank in Bangladesh. But, this account is not owned by Pearl Fashion Institute, but a business concern owned by an Indian national. Later, major segment of such funds are trafficked abroad through illegal channel, which is a serious offense under Money Laundering Act in Bangladesh. According to initial assessment, Pearl Fashion Institute has illegally transferred more than 1 million US Dollars in past few years.

It is also learnt that, Pearl Fashion Institute is running a small readymade garment factory inside its premises at Baridhara area [Road No. 6, House No. 11]. According existing law, PFI should be paying electricity bills as per industrial tariff. But, in this case too, PFI is deceiving the government from huge revenue by paying electricity bills on commercial rate instead of industrial.

Foreign teachers working at Pearl Fashion Institute in Bangladesh are not having required work permit to be employed as teachers at any educational institutions or coaching centers in the country.

Meanwhile, cheated students of Pearl Fashion Institute in Bangladesh have lodged series of complaints with various police stations in the country. Latest complaint was lodged with Gulshan Police Station on June 29, 2011 [No. 2442]. The students are also approaching Bangladeshi Prime Minister and various law enforcing agencies demanding immediate investigation into the case of Pearl Fashion Institute and necessary action against the culprits operating this fraud institution.

Students also appealed to the Prime Minister for replacing them to any genuine institution in the country in order to save their future from being doomed. Cheated students of Pearl Fashion Institute also appealed to Bangladesh Garment Exporters and Manufacturers Association [BGMEA], Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industries [FBCCI], Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries [DCCI] and Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries [MCCI] seeking their help in saving their academic careers.

The students also wrote to Advocate Sahara Khatun, Home Minister; Nurul Islam Nahid, Education Minister; AMA Muhit, Finance Minister; Governor of Bangladesh Bank; Inspector General of Bangladesh Police, Director General of Rapid Action Battalion, Special Branch, Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Detective Branch seeking their immediate help in investigating the case of Pearl Fashion Institute.

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