Teachers, officials rush to secure bail as ED starts looking into Shalarth ID scam

Nagpur: Even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought investigation details and documents of the Shalarth ID scam in the education department, it is learnt there is a rush at the courts as panicked teachers and officials try to procure anticipatory bail. Many are applying for bail even if their names are nowhere connected, surfaced, or mentioned in the case.
The ED, which probes money laundering issues, is also mandated to take up cases only if there is a predicated FIR by the local police in the same matter. Sadar police have already handed over the investigation details and other case papers to the ED last week. With crores of govt funds siphoned off over the last few years in the form of salaries, arrears, and other financial benefits accorded to the illegally recruited, posted, and promoted teachers and other personnel, the ED is likely to probe the money trail involved in the scam.
According to a senior official, lakhs of rupees exchanged hands in the form of bribes at different levels. "The bribes were rampantly offered and accepted by clerks to Class I officials of the education department from aspiring teachers, headmasters, and other personnel of the education department seeking choice postings and promotions. It was not easy to create 540 fake Shalarth IDs without the involvement of a wide range of personnel from the education department. Many schools got approval and started receiving lakhs of rupees in govt grants each year," said an official on the condition of anonymity. "The ED has substantial material to investigate," he said.
Sources said the actions initiated by the Sadar and cyber police stations against the education department officials are related to only a handful of personnel, while many more persons are involved. "Those names which have not even surfaced in the investigation so far, and their connections are yet to surface, have also queued up for anticipatory bail. The investigation team is now compelled to spend more time in court opposing bail than being able to probe the case further," said the official, adding there were 10 hearings at different courts for bails on Monday.