The Berhampur University has appeared in poor light in yet another shocking incident of alleged involvement of one its office assistants in selling duplicate certificates to innocent students of tribal and Maoists-dominated Malkangiri district.
The Malkangiri police with the help of their Brahmapur counterparts have arrested university office assistant Kailash Majhi, who is lodged in the Malkangiri jail.
Majhi is said to be the king pin of the duplicate certificate racket of the university, for which the police are contemplating to bring him on remand in order to collect more information through interrogation. Mention may be made that on March 3,, the Malkangiri police had arrested seven persons in connection with the duplicate certificate scam.
Interestingly, the duplicate certificate racket is more actively operating in Malkangiri district since last several years by luring tribal boys and girls with duplicate matriculation certificates and various other diplomas at a cost ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 as the job prospects in Malkangiri district is more brighter compared to other districts.
Only after interrogation to Majhi, the involvement of other persons in the racket would be clearer, said Malkangiri SP Akhilesh Singh.
It may be pointed out that another office assistant of the Examination Confidential Unit of the Berhampur University, Sankar Majhi, had earlier been taken to custody by the Malkangiri police as he allegedly through his agents demanded bribe of Rs 10,000 from each of 23 Plus Three students of the Malkangiri and Kalimela areas in March assuring them to increase marks in their +3 examinations.
There is a strong public perception here for a thorough and impartial probe into the whole examination process of the Berhampur University of the last five years to unearth the nexus of the university officials with intermediaries in running the rackets.