Investigation of All Statewide Cases Handed Over to Nagpur SIT

Mumbai: The high-profile bogus teacher recruitment scam that has rocked Maharashtra has now taken a decisive turn. In a major development, the investigation of all related cases registered across the state — including the widely reported Shalarth ID fraud — has been handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Nagpur City Police Commissionerate.

Currently, two major FIRs are registered in Nagpur: Crime No. 254/2025 at Sitabuldi Police Station and Crime No. 24/2025 at the Cyber Police Station. These cases involve serious charges under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 401, 472, 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant), 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), and 34 (common intention), along with provisions of the Information Technology Act.

Initial investigations revealed that fake documents were used within the Shalarth digital platform — a centralized system used for teacher recruitment — to fraudulently appoint individuals as teachers.

To spearhead the investigation, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted by the Nagpur Police, with Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Nityanand Zha appointed as the team’s head.

Meanwhile, three additional FIRs related to the same scam have been registered in Chalisgaon Police Station in Jalgaon district. These developments suggest the scam has a widespread reach across multiple districts in Maharashtra.

In light of this, the state has decided to centralize the probe and assigned all related cases to the Nagpur SIT. The team has also been granted authority to appoint additional officers as needed for the investigation. All concerned districts have been directed to immediately hand over relevant case files and documents to the SIT.

The official order was issued by Dr. Moj Kumar Sharma, Special Inspector General of Police (Economic Offences and Cyber Crimes), with the approval of the Director General of Police, Maharashtra.

Key Highlights of the Scam:

• Recruitment of teachers using fake Shalarth IDs
• Multiple FIRs registered in Nagpur, Jalgaon, and other districts
• Nagpur SIT now authorized to investigate all cases statewide
• SIT to be led by DCP Nityanand Zha
• Probe expected to gain momentum and expose systemic lapses in the recruitment process

This investigation raises serious questions about transparency in the state’s teacher recruitment process and is expected to uncover further layers in the coming weeks.