Jharsuguda: The Jharsuguda cyber crime police on Sunday dismantled a fraudulent BEd admission racket that allegedly cheated students from the district by promising admissions in colleges based in Andhra Pradesh.
Arrests Made
The police identified the arrested individuals as Chittaranjan Barik (45) and Reema Das (28), both residents of Burla. According to the authorities, a case was registered on April 23 after a complaint was filed by Preeti Rani Panda under the Orient police station in Brajranagar. Subsequently, the Cyber Crime police station in Jharsuguda initiated an investigation.
Modus Operandi
Police revealed that the accused lured aspirants by claiming they could secure admissions in a private college located in Vinukonda, Guntur district, in exchange for a commission ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per student. Barik allegedly collected money from students but failed to facilitate any admissions or refund the amounts. To maintain the illusion, he reportedly created forged admission-related documents and shared them with the victims.
The police stated that the accused misled students by asserting the availability of distance-mode BEd courses. An official clarified, "There is no recognised distance BEd programme. The course is strictly regular and governed by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) and university norms."
Network Uncovered
The investigation revealed that an entity named 'One World Academy' was operated by Barik, along with Alok Kumar Patra and Sangram Kesari, who are suspected to be part of the network. Efforts are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the racket.
Police Advisory
Jharsuguda SP G R Raghavendra urged students and parents to verify the recognition and affiliation of institutions with the NCTE and the concerned universities before taking admission or making payments. Victims of similar frauds have been advised to approach the nearest police station.
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About the Author: Ritesh Kumar Sharma, based in Jharsuguda, has been working for The Times of India for 12 years, covering a wide range of developmental stories, crimes, and civic issues in the industrial township.
