A Pune Police investigation has revealed an alleged racket in which fake Kurash sports certificates were used to secure government jobs under Maharashtra’s 5% sports quota, with 71 recruits in the police and other departments now under scrutiny and investigators examining around 1,200 to 1,500 certificates issued between 2016 and 2023.Police said the certificates were allegedly generated by falsely showing that taluka, district and state-level Kurash competitions had taken place, even though several of the competitions were never actually held.Two office-bearers of the Maharashtra Kurash Association — president Ankush Vitthal Nagar, 40, and Secretary Shivaji Jaywant Salunkhe, 46 — were arrested on September 3. A case was registered the same day at Shivajinagar Police Station under BNS Sections 318(4), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 339, 61(2) and 3(5), dealing with cheating, forgery, use of forged documents and criminal conspiracy.According to the Pune Police, information obtained from the Directorate of Sports showed that 71 candidates had been recruited since 2023 into the Maharashtra Police and other government departments through the sports quota based on Kurash certificates.Police said they are now examining approximately 1,200 to 1,500 certificates that may have been distributed during the period under investigation.The probe has also widened to examine whether fake national- and international-level Kurash certificates were used to obtain the 5% sports quota benefit for Class I and Class II posts recruited through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission.Investigators said they found several irregularities in documents submitted by district Kurash associations.According to police, the signatures of the president and secretary of the Maharashtra Kurash Association appeared on certificates issued to purported state-level winners. Police also alleged that government sports officials were not represented at the competitions concerned.The investigation further found that persons without the required knowledge or certification were allegedly used as referees and umpires during competitions between 2016 and 2023, instead of qualified national- or international-level officials.Police are now examining the roles of organisers, players, agents allegedly involved in issuing certificates, and government sports officials in Pune, Parbhani, Dharashiv, Kolhapur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.The case arose after Pune Police received confidential information that fake state-level Kurash competitions were allegedly being staged to help candidates claim the sports quota in government recruitment.Kurash, a form of upright wrestling, has been officially played in Maharashtra through the Maharashtra Kurash Association since 2012, according to police.Assistant Commissioner of Police Shankar Khatke of Crime Branch-3 is conducting the investigation. Published - September 12, 2026 12:01 pm IST