High-profile arrest jolts education circles; SIT probing deeper into alleged mass recruitment fraud
Nagpur: In a dramatic development in the multi-crore Shalarth ID scam, Nagpur Cyber Police on Thursday arrested Chintaman Wanjari, the Nagpur Divisional Chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. Wanjari’s arrest marks the most prominent action yet in a case that has rocked the education department and drawn intense political fire.
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20 May 2025
According to investigators, Wanjari’s alleged involvement dates back to his previous posting as Education Officer (Primary) in the School Education Department. It was during this tenure that a series of illegal appointments were allegedly facilitated, bypassing rules to accommodate unqualified candidates in schools across the state.
The scam, which involves the fraudulent creation and use of Shalarth IDs — the digital system used for managing salaries and employment records of school staff — has snowballed into a statewide controversy. Opposition parties have slammed the state government for its inaction and accused senior officials of turning a blind eye to rampant corruption.
The FIR was registered by Ravindra Patil, a Junior Administrative Officer in the office of the Deputy Director (Education), triggering a wide-ranging investigation led by the Cyber Police. Wanjari’s arrest comes a day after the detention of Anil Pardhi, the Deputy Director (Education), who is believed to be the mastermind behind the scam.
Sources revealed that top police officials cleared Wanjari’s arrest, given his seniority and influential position. A nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted on the orders of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, is spearheading the probe. Investigators say they are now closing in on several other high-ranking officials suspected to have played key roles in orchestrating the scam.
As the investigation deepens, more explosive revelations are expected, with several former officials potentially facing scrutiny in the coming days. The case has sent shockwaves through Maharashtra’s education establishment, raising serious questions about governance and accountability in public sector appointments.
