In a significant development in the ongoing probe into the multi-lakh rupee Shalarth ID scam, the Nagpur cyber police have arrested a school principal for her alleged involvement in a fraudulent teacher appointment scheme. The arrest marks a continued crackdown on the misuse of the state's online education administration system.
Principal Accused of Fraudulent Appointments
The cyber police on Friday took into custody Megha Mate (57), who served as the principal of Chitralekhadevi Bhosale Upper Primary School located in Kanholibara, Hingna taluka. The arrest is connected to a sophisticated scam involving the Shalarth ID portal, a system designed to streamline teacher management and salary disbursement in government-aided schools.
Mate stands accused of a serious breach of trust. Investigators allege that she illegally appointed five bogus teachers by utilizing counterfeit Shalarth IDs. Furthermore, she is charged with repeatedly submitting unverified monthly salary proposals for these non-existent appointees to the education department. This prolonged deception resulted in a substantial financial loss to the state exchequer, estimated to be approximately Rs 28 lakh.
28th Arrest in the Widening Probe
This case highlights a systemic vulnerability that has been exploited across multiple institutions. The school involved is managed by the Gramoddhar Vidya Prasarak Shikshan Sanstha. With this latest detention, Megha Mate becomes the 28th individual arrested in connection with the sprawling case, which was originally registered by the cyber police specifically for the widespread misuse of the online Shalarth ID system.
The legal proceedings were initiated based on a formal complaint lodged by Ravinder Patil, who serves as the junior administrative officer in the office of the deputy director of education. The chargesheet invokes relevant sections of the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) alongside provisions of the Information Technology Act, indicating the seriousness of the cyber-enabled financial fraud.
Legal Proceedings and Custody
A dedicated Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed to unravel the layers of this scam, produced the arrested principal before the Judicial Magistrate First Class court. After hearing the arguments of the investigating officers, the court found sufficient grounds for a detailed police interrogation. Consequently, the magistrate remanded Megha Mate to police custody until January 5.
This custodial period will allow the SIT to interrogate the accused intensively, gather further evidence regarding the creation and use of the fake IDs, trace the trail of the defrauded funds, and potentially uncover more links in the alleged racket. The arrest of a serving principal underscores the deep penetration of the scam within the educational administration, raising concerns about oversight and accountability mechanisms.
The ongoing investigation continues to examine how the loopholes in the Shalarth system were exploited, who the beneficiaries of the fraudulently drawn salaries were, and whether more officials from other schools are involved. The Nagpur cyber police's actions signal a firm stance against corruption that siphons resources meant for public education.
