Accused got original research work published in fake journals

4 min readNew DelhiJul 4, 2026 08:50 AM IST

On October 3, 2024, Khanna allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from Kilsen to "settle" the matter and preserve her job.

For 29-year-old Ankita Kilsan, landing a job as an Assistant Professor at Delhi University’s (DU) Bharati College in November 2023 felt like the ultimate validation of her hard work. A Jawaharlal Nehru University alumni, she believed her academic career was finally taking off. But just months later that dream disintegrated.

Kilsan, a resident of Shalimar Bagh, was allegedly the victim of a scam run by people she considered peers. She allegedly paid Rs 1 lakh to get three of her articles published in journals, which later turned out to be fake, leading to the termination of her service.

On Wednesday, a Delhi court directed the registration of an FIR against two DU assistant professors for allegedly duping Kilsan. The court was hearing an application seeking the registration of an FIR moved by Kilsan – formerly employed in Bharati College’s Political Science department.

The court directed the Station Head Officer (SHO) of Shalimar Bagh police station to register an FIR based on a complaint filed on November 5, 2024, and submit a compliance report within 30 days.

“I trusted them fully. Thought they were a fraternity. I found out in July 2024 that my articles are fake. I kept questioning them and they kept fooling me,” Kilsan told The Indian Express.

“For people who know me well, it was absolutely unbelievable. We all thought how could this happen to someone like me. My mental health deteriorated so much,” she added.

“Since 2024 I have been suffering. I completed my PhD in such a stressful situation. The work I could have done in six months took over one year. I am not an isolated example. Lots of people face such a situation,” Kilsen said.

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The accused against whom the FIR is to be registered are Sanjeev Kumar, who allegedly misrepresented himself as a senior medical officer at AIIMS, Delhi, Pramod Kumar and Luke Khanna, assistant professors at Dayal Singh and Bharati College, respectively.

According to Kilsan, she was introduced to Kumar in May 2021. In December 2021, Sanjeev introduced her to the two DU professors to help guide her career.

In her complaint, Kilsan has alleged that in May 2022, Pramod and Luke convinced her that she desperately needed research publications in reputed journals to land a teaching job. They took her original research work for publication along with Rs 1 lakh in cash as publication fees and travel expenses.

By late 2022, they allegedly handed her copies of three of her “published” articles and certificates from “recognised” journals Shodhprabha, Shodhasamhita and Madhya Bharati. Relying on these documents, Kilsan secured an assistant professor’s job at Bharati College. However, in August 2024, the college Principal informed her that an RTI inquiry has revealed that the publications were fake.

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When confronted by Kilsan, the accused brushed them off as “cloned copies” printed. After this, Kilsan and her family allegedly personally traveled to Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to verify the authenticity of these alleged publications and found that the publications were “fake”.

On October 3, 2024, Khanna allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from Kilsen to “settle” the matter and preserve her job.

“This deceit ultimately resulted in her securing an appointment as an assistant professor at Bharti College and later losing it causing her significant professional damage. The dishonest intention on the part of the accused persons appear to be evident from the outset, prima facie satisfying the essential ingredients of cheating,” Judicial Magistrate First Class Gaurav Katariya of Rohini court noted in an order.

“…the purportedly forged Certificates of Publication and journals require forensic/ scientific examination by the FSL to ascertain their origin, genuineness, and whether they are alleged to be fabricated/cloned documents…,” it added.

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“…this Court is of the considered opinion that the present case discloses prima facie cognizable offences warranting police investigation…,” it further said, adding that misrepresentation appears to have been deliberate, designed to gain Kilsan’s trust.

“What makes an act criminally liable is the presence of a fraudulent intention behind it. In this case, such an intention appears evident from the very outset. The alleged making of a false document, combined with the deliberate supply of fake certificates to the complainant, collectively points to a dishonest and fraudulent state of mind on the part of all three accused,” JMFC Katariya said.

Kilsan was represented by advocates Pardeep Khatri and Pranjal Bhaskar.

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Sakshi Chand is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. With over a decade of experience in investigative journalism, she is a leading voice on crime, the prison system, and institutional governance in the National Capital.

Professional Background

Specialization: Her reporting focus includes high-stakes crime, national security, prison reforms, and traffic governance.

Key Coverage: She has been on the frontlines of major events such as the 2G spectrum case, the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, and communal clashes across Uttar Pradesh (Kasganj, Aligarh).

Earlier Career: Before joining The Indian Express, she was a reporter for The Times of India.

Personal Interests: Outside of her career in journalism, Sakshi is a National-level basketball player and coach, bringing a unique sporting discipline to her professional life.

Major Recent Coverage (Late 2025)

Her reporting in the latter half of 2025 has been dominated by a major terror investigation and administrative accountability:

1. The Red Fort Blast Investigation

Throughout November and December 2025, Sakshi led the coverage of a car explosion near Delhi's Red Fort:

Forensic Breakthroughs: She reported on the use of TATP and ammonium nitrate in the IED and identified the shops where raw materials were sourced (Nov 14-16, 2025).

The "i20 Route": She meticulously tracked the journey of the vehicle used in the blast, tracing it to a Pulwama-based resident who entered Delhi via the Badarpur toll plaza (Nov 12, 2025).

Victim Support: She recently reported on the Delhi Police providing a list of damaged vehicle owners to the Finance Ministry to expedite insurance claims for those caught in the blast (Dec 4, 2025).

2. Crime & Police Accountability

"Crackdown on Extortion Gangs": In December 2025, she reported on a syndicate that was blackmailing traffic cops. Following five arrests, the Special CP directed officers to report all such attempts (Dec 12, 2025).

"Corruption in the Ranks": She covered the arrest of five Delhi Police personnel by the Vigilance branch following a wave of public complaints (May 19, 2025).

Cold Cases & International Murders: She has extensively tracked the case of a man who allegedly killed his wife in London and fled to India, reporting on his "Proclaimed Offender" status and the denial of his anticipatory bail (May 2025).

3. Governance & Public Policy

"13,000 Homes for 90,000 Cops": A data-driven feature on why the majority of Delhi Police personnel are forced to live on rent despite the city's housing projects (May 4, 2025).

Traffic Decongestion: Using her interest in urban logistics, she detailed how the Traffic Police eased congestion on Vikas Marg by switching off signals and creating U-turns (April 2, 2025).

Signature Style

Sakshi Chand is known for a data-driven and investigative approach. She frequently uses forensic reports, CCTV analysis, and administrative data to go beyond the "official version" of a crime story. Her work in prison reporting is particularly noted for highlighting the legal and humanitarian conditions of foreign detention centers and local jails. ... Read More

Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023.

Professional Background

Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University.

Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories.

Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts.

Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials.

Recent notable articles

In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories.

1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey.

2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation.

3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police.

Signature Style

Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public.

X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read More

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