Kuwait has temporarily halted accrediting Indian engineering certificates after forgeries were discovered in related documents, according to a local media report.

The decision was made by the Kuwait Society of Engineers and the Public Authority of Manpower, Al Qabas newspaper said, citing close sources.

“The Society of Engineers has detected that some Indian residents have obtained the title of engineer although they were previously denied recognition because their degrees do not comply with [Kuwaiti] conditions,” a source said.

The paper said that the case, referred to the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry, indicates the use of fake governmental stamps by Asians to forge approvals allowing the renewal of work permits.

“The Society of Engineers had earlier found out that some Indians had forged engineering accreditation documents,” the sources added. The forgers have been referred for investigations, according to the sources.

The Kuwait Society of Engineers has refused to recognise 3,000 Indian certificates for failing to meet related conditions, the sources said.

“Those 3,000 have been given other jobs commensurate with their university degrees,” they added.

Meanwhile, seven Indian residents have been sent to prosecution on charges of forging their university degrees or official documents.

Indians in Kuwait account for nearly 1 million of the country’s 4.7 million population