Nagpur: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Nagpur Police probing the alleged Shalarth ID scam in Maharashtra has found that more than 500 teachers were recruited without following laid down procedures, a senior official said on Sunday.
Shalarth is a centralised portal of the Maharashtra Government to manage payroll and service records of employees at government and government-aided schools, including teachers. Shalarth ID refers to the teacher identification number allotted to such staffers.
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26 July 2025
“The SIT has found that of the 622 teachers appointed, only 75 had been hired following proper procedures. The remaining 547 were appointed using fake IDs after paying Rs 20-30 lakh each. This means the scam may be worth more than Rs 100 crore,” the police official said.
SIT in charge and Assistant Commissioner of Police Sunita Meshram said the probe, apart from Deputy Directors in the Education Department, is now focusing on education officers and teachers. More arrests are likely in this case, Meshram added.
An official said a team had gone to Bhandara on Friday to arrest retired Deputy Director Satish Mendhe for his alleged involvement, but he was not at his residence. The SIT was formed in April this year to probe how fake identities were used to disburse salaries through the Shalarth portal in Nagpur. Several people have been arrested in the case so far.
SIT raids Dy Director Vanjari’s residences in Nagpur, Yavatmal
Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Nagpur Police conducted searches at two residences of Deputy Director of Education (DDE) Chintaman Vanjari — one in Surve Nagar, Nagpur, and the other in Yavatmal — on Sunday. Vanjari is currently in police custody for his alleged role in the creation of bogus teacher IDs and misappropriation of salaries under the state’s Shalarth portal.
According to police sources, the searches yielded several incriminating documents, including records linked to unauthorized appointments and salary withdrawals using 281 fake Shalarth IDs. These IDs were reportedly created during Vanjari’s tenure when he held senior positions in the Primary and Secondary Education departments.
The scam came to light with the arrest of former DDE Ulhas Narad, followed by the arrests of staffers Suraj Naik, Bharat Dhawale, and Dudhalkhar. Vanjari was appointed as DDE after Narad’s suspension, and has since been under the scanner after documents suggested his active involvement in approving bogus proposals.
Vanjari had previously served as Primary Education Officer in Nagpur Zilla Parishad and was promoted as Secretary of the Divisional Education Board two years ago. His administrative record is now being closely scrutinized for deeper irregularities.
In a related development, former DDE Vaishali Jamdar, arrested on Friday, has reportedly disclosed the names of more officials linked to the scam. Investigators have begun verifying these leads as the SIT widens its probe into what could be one of the biggest recruitment frauds in Maharashtra’s education sector.
