RIYADH: The Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution has started interrogating a number of engineers working in public and private sectors, who are accused of falsifying their certificates.

According to local media, the number of engineers under investigations has increased from 14 to 55.

Well-informed sources were quoted as saying that the accused were referred for investigation following the detection of forged certificates, which ranged from bachelor’s to master’s degrees, by the Saudi Council of Engineers upon applications for professional licenses.

The white-collar crimes department started the investigation into a number of engineers after the decision to suspend 35 of them from work temporarily, and to release them on bail pending the completion of probe. Lawsuits will be filed against them at the administrative courts in the Kingdom in the event of proven forgery.

The sources said the accused consist of more than one nationality, including Saudis, but the majority are non-Saudis.