The MP Police on Thursday (22/06/2023) arrested as many as 77 teachers of primary schools for deceitfully getting certificates to avail jobs under the disability quota in Morena district.
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According to the Police Officials, the newly recruited 75 teachers had given certificates of being visually disabled and hearing impaired and, 2 teachers of physically challenged.
Mr. Anup Kumar Pathak, the District Education Officer said that the officials of the education department became skeptical after finding out that out of the total 750 selected teachers under the disability quota, 450 had furnished the certificates issued by the same hospital i.e. Morena district Hospital. The probe was conducted by the Collector on the orders of the Directorate of Public Instruction, Bhopal.
Gist of the Fraud:
During the investigation, it came to light that the certificates had all the seal and signature but, were presumably signed by a hospital peon. The fraud was done between 2016 and 2020. However, the suspected peon Pramod Sikarwar lost his life in 2020 due to Covid.
All 77 teachers were booked only after the hospital administration notified that there was no record in the hospital with regards to the certificates being duly issued by the hospital.
All the candidates who had submitted the certificates from Morena District Hospital shall once again undergo a medical examination.
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While the teachers criticized the hospital administration and argued the involvement of doctors and staff and asked for a justified probe into the scam, claiming that this will adversely impact their future.
A teacher, who has been booked in the scam said, that she has 20% hearing impairment and she received a certificate of 40%. The deceased peon had taken an amount of 20000 rupees for the same. The peon had said that increasing the percentage was a routine practice at the Morena hospital.
Current situation:
Mr. Shailendra Chauhan the Morena Superintendent of police, asserted that the investigation in the matter is on and the interrogation of the doctors whose signatures were found on the certificate shall be undertaken.
However, the District Hospital civil surgeon Vinod Gupta refrained from commenting on the matter.
