NAGPUR: After two years of investigation into the Mafsu recruitment scam, the anti-corruption bureau has finally registered offences against 50 persons, including the then vice chancellor of Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University (Mafsu) Dr Arun Ninawe, for illegalities in recruitment and misuse of official position. Of the 50 accused, 18 persons are from Nagpur.
The accused include former registrar RL Dhobale, social welfare officer of Wardha MS Zod and director of Yeshwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (divisional centre) ST Belsare. They have been booked for criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).Soon after the offences were registered, teams of ACB sleuths searched 29 houses, including Ninawe's residence at New Delhi, homes of 17 people in Nagpur, 4 in Akola, 3 in Thane, 2 in Parbhani, and 1 each in Pusad, Navi Mumbai and Yavatmal.
Cash Rs 6.93 lakh was seized from the Hudkeshwar residence of SG Pendam, hostel in charge of Chokamela Hostel at Deekshabhoomi. Searches were still in progress while going to press. The cops are also questioning many of the accused.
Ninawe was appointed Mafsu vice chancellor on May 17, 2007. He was suspended a week before his tenure was to end on May 6, 2010, on charges of corruption, irregularities in recruitment, misbehaviour with inquiry officer and victimization of subordinates.
The city-based Mafsu offers bachelor's and master's degrees in veterinary, animal husbandry and fisheries with 10 colleges affiliated to it. The varsity was in the thick of controversies since its inception in 2000 due to allegations of large-scale irregularities in appointment of over 468 staffers. The teaching and non-teaching employees had also complained to the Governor about victimization by Ninawe and his corrupt practices, and a case was also filed in the high court.
The issue came up in the state assembly and council, following which the government instituted a departmental enquiry on January 4, 2009. This confirmed the irregularities, leading to the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) probe. Another panel also probed validity of recruitments during Ninawe's tenure.
Mafsu had published an advertisement to recruit 539 staffers, including 321 for teaching posts and 218 for non-teaching staff in February 2007. A year later, an advertisement was published for 468 more posts, 247 teaching and 221 non-teaching.
SP Sandeep Diwan said a team headed by DySP Rajesh Dudhalwar went through 3,880 pages. "Our team probed each and every department, and quizzed witnesses, victims and accused. We learnt how the accused recruited people by misusing powers, and registered offences," he said.
The recruitment flouted government reservation since the advertisement did not include all vacant posts, and was not checked by all committees before it was published. The accused had also neglected to appoint 30% women as required.
Teaching staff to be recruited are also required to score at least 80% in written and 20% in orals, however people with less marks were recruited. Similarly, people with lower qualification were also recruited for many posts. Cops also found numbers on mark lists had been changed and fake documents were submitted. Ninawe and others also destroyed evidence, said the cops.
The accused include former registrar RL Dhobale, social welfare officer of Wardha MS Zod and director of Yeshwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University (divisional centre) ST Belsare. They have been booked for criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).Soon after the offences were registered, teams of ACB sleuths searched 29 houses, including Ninawe's residence at New Delhi, homes of 17 people in Nagpur, 4 in Akola, 3 in Thane, 2 in Parbhani, and 1 each in Pusad, Navi Mumbai and Yavatmal.
Cash Rs 6.93 lakh was seized from the Hudkeshwar residence of SG Pendam, hostel in charge of Chokamela Hostel at Deekshabhoomi. Searches were still in progress while going to press. The cops are also questioning many of the accused.
Ninawe was appointed Mafsu vice chancellor on May 17, 2007. He was suspended a week before his tenure was to end on May 6, 2010, on charges of corruption, irregularities in recruitment, misbehaviour with inquiry officer and victimization of subordinates.
The city-based Mafsu offers bachelor's and master's degrees in veterinary, animal husbandry and fisheries with 10 colleges affiliated to it. The varsity was in the thick of controversies since its inception in 2000 due to allegations of large-scale irregularities in appointment of over 468 staffers. The teaching and non-teaching employees had also complained to the Governor about victimization by Ninawe and his corrupt practices, and a case was also filed in the high court.
The issue came up in the state assembly and council, following which the government instituted a departmental enquiry on January 4, 2009. This confirmed the irregularities, leading to the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) probe. Another panel also probed validity of recruitments during Ninawe's tenure.
Mafsu had published an advertisement to recruit 539 staffers, including 321 for teaching posts and 218 for non-teaching staff in February 2007. A year later, an advertisement was published for 468 more posts, 247 teaching and 221 non-teaching.
SP Sandeep Diwan said a team headed by DySP Rajesh Dudhalwar went through 3,880 pages. "Our team probed each and every department, and quizzed witnesses, victims and accused. We learnt how the accused recruited people by misusing powers, and registered offences," he said.
The recruitment flouted government reservation since the advertisement did not include all vacant posts, and was not checked by all committees before it was published. The accused had also neglected to appoint 30% women as required.
Teaching staff to be recruited are also required to score at least 80% in written and 20% in orals, however people with less marks were recruited. Similarly, people with lower qualification were also recruited for many posts. Cops also found numbers on mark lists had been changed and fake documents were submitted. Ninawe and others also destroyed evidence, said the cops.
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