The Education Department in Almora has initiated action after a person posing as a magician allegedly collected money from school students in the name of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund using a forged document purportedly issued by the Chief Education Officer (CEO) office.
According to officials, the accused created a fake version of an official permission letter and used it to organise so-called awareness programmes in schools. Under the forged document, schools were allegedly told to collect ₹10 from each student, claiming that 30% of the collected amount would be deposited into the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
The Chief Education Officer’s office clarified that the document authorising fee collection is completely fake and that legal action will be initiated against the individual.
Officials said the original letter, issued on May 16, had granted Mahesh Sharma, a resident of Haryana, permission to conduct scientific magic shows and social awareness programmes in government, aided, private recognised, CBSE, and ICSE schools.
The permission was subject to a clear condition that all programmes covering topics such as water conservation, de-addiction, environmental protection, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, cleanliness, and eradication of superstition would be conducted free of cost, and no fee would be collected from students.
However, the department alleged that the magician used artificial intelligence (AI) to create a forged version of the official letter, falsely authorising the collection of money from students. Officials said similar complaints had been received earlier, prompting the department to prepare legal action.
Chief Education Officer Chandan Singh Bisht said the department had only permitted free awareness programmes. He added that if anyone has collected money from schools or students in the name of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, strict legal action will be taken, as the letter being used for fee collection is entirely fabricated.
