Delhi govt school recruitment ‘scam’: CBI conducts searches, seizes incriminating documents

New Delhi, June 29 (IANS)  The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted search operations in Delhi, Chhattisgarh, and Dehradun after lodging an FIR in connection with alleged irregularities in teacher recruitment for Delhi government-aided schools being run by the Vedic Sanskrit Agricultural Education Society, sources in the agency said on Wednesday.

The CBI sources told IANS that during the search operations, a number of incriminating documents were seized. However, no arrest has been made by the agency as of now.

In coming weeks, the CBI is likely to summon the accused involved in the matter, they said.

The CBI sources added that they received a complaint in the matter on March 9 and registered a preliminary inquiry (PE) into the matter on April 28.

The inquiry revealed that V.S. Agriculture Senior Secondary School is an aided school under the Delhi government and is being run by the Vedic Sanskrit Agricultural Educational Society, located in Khera Garhi, Delhi.

“The Management Committee of Vedic Sanskrit Agriculture Senior Secondary School recruited 16 candidates against 18 vacancies. Of the 16 candidates, six candidates—Praveen Bazad (PGT – Political Science), Chitre Rekha (TGT – English), Sonia (TGT – Social Studies), Pratibha (PGT – Economics), Pinki Arya (TGT – Sanskrit) and Manish Kumar (PGT – Commerce) — were selected based on forged documents in collusion with Krishan Rana, the former Chairman of the Management Committee of Vedic Sanskrit Agriculture Senior Secondary School, and Shashikant Singh, the former Office Bearer of Jim Corbett Senior Secondary School,” a source said.

Bazad submitted his application form after the last date of submission, and his disability certificate did not support his application. He was also convicted in a cheating case related to the Staff Selection Commission examination, but he concealed this information. His Master’s degree from Kalinga University was found to be forged.

The experience certificates of Sonia, Pratibha and Manish Kumar were issued on the letterhead of Jim Corbett Senior Secondary School, Polysheet, Kathgodam, Uttarakhand.

However, the inquiry revealed that these certificates were never issued by the school.

The CBI revealed that the certificates were prepared by Shashikant Singh in exchange for a bribe. Similarly, the experience certificate of Chitre Rekha, issued by Nav Durga Aadarsh Vidyalaya, was found to be forged. Even the signature of the Principal was forged.

The signature appended to the certificate was of Krishan Kumar, who was never appointed as the Principal.

The Jim Corbett Secondary School authorities informed the CBI that they never issued any certificates to Sonia, Pratibha, and Manish Kumar.

Two candidates, Pinki Arya and Monika, provided experience certificates from Brahmi (Janta) Sr. Secondary School, Nathupur, Sonepat, Haryana, which were also found to be fake. The experience certificates of Lalita and Renu Gulia from Vedic Sanskrit Agriculture Senior Secondary School were also fictitious.

“All the selected candidates were given an advantage in their selection. Almost all the experience certificates were issued after the last date of form submission, and this was managed by the Chairman before scrutinising the applications. It appears that the known candidates were directed to prepare experience certificates to meet the merit parameters. Thereafter, deliberate and dishonest advantage was given in the interview by awarding higher marks to the selected candidates. Based on these advantages, the suspect candidates were selected and appointed as teachers in V.S. Agriculture Sr. Secondary School,” said the CBI’s PE.

The PE also added that five candidates secured a Master’s degree from Kalinga University who were admitted in 2013 and 2014.

The university informed the CBI that the certificates were genuine, but no records regarding attendance, payment slips, or hostel facilities availed by these candidates were available.

“Some of the applications of selected candidates should have been rejected, but instead of rejection, the Chairman, in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy, deliberately and dishonestly gave an opportunity to some of the candidates and obtained their experience certificates. The experience marks were added, and then the merit list was prepared. After that, interview letters were issued to them. If the experience marks of these candidates were not added to the total marks, some of the candidates would not have been eligible for the interview.

“The allegations mentioned in the complaint prima facie disclose the commission of offences punishable under Sections 120-B read with 420, 467, 468, and 471 IPC against Praveen Bazad (PGT – Political Science), Krishan Rana (the then Chairman of the Management Committee of Vedic Sanskrit Agriculture Senior Secondary School), Chitre Rekha (TGT – English), Sonia (TGT – Social Studies), Ms. Pratibha (PGT – Economics), Ms. Pinki Arya (TGT – Sanskrit), Manish Kumar (PGT – Commerce), and Shashikant Singh (the then Office Bearer of Jim Corbett Senior Secondary School),” said the FIR accessed by IANS.

(Atul Krishan can be approached at atul.k@ians.in)

–IANS

atk/sha