Bhubaneswar,(Orissa Today) Feb 6: The Sambalpur University has suspended Professor Bulu Maharana following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with a bribery case related to National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) ratings.
Dr. Maharana, a professor in the Department of Library and Information Science, was among ten individuals arrested for allegedly accepting bribes to influence NAAC accreditation scores. The case revolves around a private deemed university in Andhra Pradesh, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF), which reportedly paid bribes to secure an A++ rating from the evaluation team, of which Dr. Maharana was a part.
On February 2, the CBI registered a case against KLEF officials and NAAC team members, leading to multiple arrests. Following this, the CBI sealed Dr. Maharana’s government quarters in Jyoti Vihar and conducted further investigations on February 4.
The agency carried out raids at 20 locations across India, including Chennai, Bangalore, Vijayawada, Sambalpur, Bhopal, and New Delhi. During these searches, Rs 37 lakh in cash, 6 laptops, gold, mobile phones, and other incriminating materials were seized.
The CBI cited Dr. Maharana’s role in accepting bribes as a serious violation of academic integrity, raising concerns over corruption in accreditation processes.
Sambalpur University suspends Professor after arrest in NAAC bribery case
