Police said the accused Ravichandran Bhagwatchandran Narayan alias Maddi, a native of Begumpeth in Hyderabad, was wanted in connection with the scam for obtaining a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree by unfair means.

A student of Kavikulguru Institute of Technology in Ramtek, 40 kms from here, Maddi had failed to clear the third year. The entire murky affair came to light when the Consulate General of the US Embassy at Chennai sent his degree for verification to the varsity following his application for a visa.

The then acting registrar and controller of examinations Dr Prakash Mistry was subsequently arrested after a police complaint lodged on March 4, 1998, against the `fake engineer'.

Meanwhile, the Engineering Faculty dean and vice-principal of YeshwantraoChavan College of Engineering (YCCE) Hemant Thakre, who was arrested on July 15, was remanded to police custody till July 29, police said.