Bhapkar cancels 32 ‘illegal’ appointments

The list of 32 illegal appointments include 26 teachers, one part-time teacher and five peons. The appointments had been made between the period of 2011 and 2014 and were alleged to have been conducted using fraudulent practices following which the commissioner had assigned Harun Attar, education officer (secondary) to conduct an inquiry earlier this month. The report was submitted to deputy director of education Ramchandra Jadhav, who in turn submitted it to Bhapkar concluding that not only were the appointments illegal but had been done at a time when there was a ban on the recruitment process by the government.

Amongst the major discrepancies mentioned in the inquiry report were: there was no outward number on the teacher approval letters, fake numbers were allotted and there was no record of approval in office records, not following the roster and giving approvals even where schools have not applied for it.

“The total number of appointments under scanner were 41 and since they cannot be termed as illegal without conducting a hearing, all of them were given a chance to be heard. However of 41 people, 32 could not prove the legality of their appointments and hence it was decided that they had to be cancelled. The remaining nine appointments are still being investigated and decision will be taken soon,” said a source at education commissionerate.

Though the 32 appointments have been cancelled, no immediate action has been taken against Dahiphale. “A departmental inquiry has been ordered and Dahiphale will be heard too. Currently, he is on two days’ leave. If found guilty, action will be recommended. If bogus papers are found to be submitted then action will be taken against school headmaster, government officials, teachers and anyone else involved,” added Bhapkar.