Mumbai, May 10: A significant crackdown on the sale of counterfeit NCERT books has taken place in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. Following revelations of fake book sales, the district administration has filed First Information Reports (FIRs) against three local bookstores under the Copyright Act.
The allegations suggest that these stores were selling counterfeit NCERT books for Class 9. This action has caused a stir among local booksellers. The stores implicated include Sangam Book Depot, Gyan Bhandar-One, and Gyan Bhandar-Two. The district administration received multiple complaints regarding the sale of fake books under the NCERT name, prompting a serious investigation.
Under the direction of Deputy Commissioner Hemant Sati, a team from the district administration conducted simultaneous raids on the three bookstores on Friday evening around 5 PM. During the inspections, officials meticulously examined the NCERT books available in the stores. Many books were found lacking the authentic identification hologram. Additionally, the quality of the pages, printing, and binding did not meet standard requirements. According to administrative officials, initial investigations strongly indicate that the books are indeed counterfeit.
During the investigation, the shopkeepers claimed they were buying old NCERT books from students and reselling them. However, the administration believes the issue extends beyond just the resale of old books and could be linked to a broader counterfeit book operation. Suspicious books were seized during the raids, which were conducted in the presence of local residents and witnesses. Following this, FIRs were registered against the respective shopkeepers under the Copyright Act of 1957.
The district administration has made it clear that any form of irregularity or fraud in the name of education will not be tolerated. Parents have been urged to purchase books only from authorized and reliable stores. They have also been asked to report any suspicious activities to the administration.
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