Nagpur Education Department Officials Arrested Over ₹10.5 Lakh Bribe and Fake Promotion Scandal | Representative Image
Mumbai: The ongoing investigation into the multi-crore teacher recruitment and financial scam within the Maharashtra state education department has led to the arrest of three more officials from the Nagpur division, as police uncover deeper layers of corruption related to recruitment, promotions, and fraudulent documentation.
Among the latest arrests is Nilesh Meshram, the former office superintendent for Class II education officers. Meshram allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 10.5 lakh to favour Parag Pudke, a headmaster currently in police custody. Investigators say Meshram issued fake experience certificates and helped process Pudke’s promotion and arrears clearance with forged documents.
The scam was initially exposed with the dramatic pre-dawn arrests of Ulhas Narad, Deputy Director of Education for the Nagpur division, and Pudke, headmaster of an aided school in Bhandara. Police claim Narad promoted Pudke to headmaster based on falsified records of teaching experience and authorised five years’ worth of salary arrears, resulting in significant financial losses to the state.
The fraudulent issuance of a Shalarth ID — a unique digital identifier used to manage teachers’ salaries and benefits — to Pudke, despite his ineligibility, lies at the heart of the scam. With this ID, Pudke drew government salaries and gained promotion benefits he was not entitled to.
Alongside Meshram, two other officials have been arrested: Sanjay Dudhalkar, a sub-inspector in the education department, and Suraj Naik, a senior clerk in the office of the Deputy Director of Education. Both are believed to have played key roles in enabling the illegal documentation and approvals.
Police say the scam may have caused substantial losses to the state exchequer and warned that further arrests are likely as the investigation continues.
