Pune: Fake GR Scam ! Rs 17 Lakh Collected from Teachers for Salary Hike, Case Filed Against One
Pune :
A major fraud involving fake government resolutions (GRs) has come to light, where an attempt was made to grant a salary hike to 50 non-graduate art teachers in various secondary schools under the Pune District Education Board. The fraudulent scheme, orchestrated using counterfeit documents in the name of Additional Secretary Pravin Mundhe, aimed to provide these teachers with the benefits of a graduate pay scale. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has now registered a case against a man who allegedly collected Rs 17 lakh to bribe the Secondary Education Officer of Pune Zilla Parishad, Dr. Bhausaheb Karekar.
The accused in the case has been identified as Dr. Deepak Chandane. Following an investigation, ACB’s Police Inspector Amol Baban Bhosale filed a formal complaint at Bundgarden Police Station. The fraudulent activities reportedly took place between October 19, 2024, and December 27, 2024, at the Pune District Education Board office.
According to police information, a proposal had been submitted to the Maharashtra government seeking implementation of a senior graduate pay scale for non-graduate secondary school teachers holding an Art Teacher Diploma (ATD) after acquiring an AM degree. Seizing this opportunity, Chandane allegedly posed as an influential figure with strong connections in the education department and cheated teachers.
He, along with his accomplices, fabricated a government resolution using the digital signature of Pravin Mundhe, Additional Secretary of the School Education and Sports Department. Further, using this fake GR as a reference, Chandane also forged an order of AM approval, complete with counterfeit signatures of senior education officers. To execute the plan, he collected Rs 17 lakh from these teachers, claiming the money was meant to be paid as a bribe to Dr. Bhausaheb Karekar for processing the salary hike.
The scam unraveled when the forged GR landed on Education Officer Dr. Bhausaheb Karekar’s WhatsApp. On verifying its authenticity, officials found that the document was not listed anywhere on the state government’s official website. A closer examination further revealed that the so-called GR bore a falsified signature of Additional Secretary Pravin Mundhe.
Realising the gravity of the scam, Karekar promptly lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau last month. Acting on the complaint, ACB officials interrogated teachers and school principals involved in the matter. After thorough scrutiny, a case of fraud was officially registered against the accused.
The case is now under the purview of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, with Deputy Superintendent of Police Nita Misal is conducting further investigation.
