Kolkata, 14 July (H.S.): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has filed a police complaint questioning the educational qualifications of former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Shaukat Molla, alleging that he furnished false information in his election affidavit and may be linked to a fake educational certificate racket.

Shaukat Molla, a former MLA from Canning Purba, was appointed by the TMC leadership as the party's observer for Bhangar ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections and later contested from the constituency. In his election affidavit, he declared that he held a Master's degree in Political Science from Singhania University in Rajasthan.

South 24 Parganas BJP leader Abhijit Das alleged that Molla's educational credentials were fabricated. He questioned how Molla could have pursued a regular postgraduate course in Rajasthan while simultaneously serving as a legislator in West Bengal. The BJP also alleged that Molla had declared different educational qualifications in previous elections and that the latest claim of holding a postgraduate degree was false.

The party has lodged complaints with Jibantala Police Station and the office of the Superintendent of Police, Baruipur, seeking an investigation. It has also demanded a CBI probe, alleging that Molla may be part of an inter-state fake certificate racket.

According to the complainant, the police have assured that a senior officer will examine the allegations.

The BJP has further demanded that the investigation also examine the alleged larger network behind the suspected fake certificates.

Shaukat Molla was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in June in connection with a blast case reported in Bhangar ahead of the Assembly elections.

There was no immediate response from Shaukat Molla to the allegations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey