In a major crackdown, Nagpur police have arrested two clerks appointed through fake Shalarth IDs. Shockingly, both the accused are real brothers. With this, the total number of arrests in the ongoing recruitment scam has reached 20.
According to police sources, the main mastermind of the scam is identified as education officer Neelraj Waghmare. Several other officials and school operators are also under the scanner, and more arrests are expected in the coming days.
The arrests were made following a complaint filed by the education department with the Cyber Police Station. Investigations revealed that the brothers — Kaivalya Ninave (35), a clerk at Nandanan Kharanghar Upper Primary School, and his brother Manishkumar Ninave (32), working as a clerk at another school — secured jobs using forged Shalarth IDs.
Kaivalya was appointed in March 2023, while Manishkumar had been working since July 2019. Together, they illegally drew salaries amounting to ₹41.49 lakh during their service period. Police said the accused, with the help of middlemen and officials, prepared fake Shalarth IDs to get appointed.
After the fraud came to light, both were arrested on Sunday. Investigators believe more names will surface as the probe deepens.
So far, 20 people have been arrested in the case, including three school principals, two clerks, two headmasters, two school operators, three assistant teachers, and suspended education officer Neelraj Waghmare.
Raid on Waghmare’s House
Meanwhile, the cyber police raided the residence of suspended education officer Neelraj Waghmare and seized his laptop and mobile phone for forensic examination. Preliminary findings suggest the involvement of several other officials and school operators.
Questions are now being raised as to why a search was not conducted at Waghmare’s house earlier, especially when he had gone absconding.
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