FAISALABAD, Jan 21: Kotwali police claimed on Wednesday that they had arrested a dealer of fake educational degrees and recovered certificates, stamps, official papers and other related material from his possession.

The police said Muhammad Iqbal alias Bulhar University was held outside the BISE where he was waiting for his customers. Informed by the suspect, the team also recovered 400 fake certificates of matriculation and intermediate, degrees of different universities, certificates of training institutes and computer colleges, bogus official documents and stamps bearing fictitious names of controllers of universities, professors and higher administrative functionaries.

The suspect was booked under section 471, 472, 473, 474 and 475 PPC. Iqbal had been arrested by the police thrice, but he managed his release through bails from courts. A couple of years ago, a special team comprising judicial officers, police and intelligence agency personnel had arrested him with thousands of fake degrees and stamps. But he was set free within few days.

Sources told this correspondent that he had good links with a number of senior police officials, administrators and even those in the judiciary.