The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a raid at the quarters of Sambalpur University Professor Bulu Moharana, who is accused of accepting bribes to influence the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) ratings.
The CBI had previously arrested Moharana and 10 others in connection with the case. During the raids, the CBI seized Rs 37 lakh, 6 laptops, gold, mobile phones, and other incriminating materials. This incident has raised concerns about academic transparency and integrity in the region.
According to reports, Bulu Maharana, a faculty of the Library Science department, was one among the six-member team that had gone to inspect an institution under investigation Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF) in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
On Saturday evening, a CBI team searched two premises of Maharana including his office room in the university and his residence and found substantial documents to support the claims, following which he was arrested.
The CBI investigation led to the discovery of alleged bribe payments made to the NAAC team, including cash, gold, mobile phones, and laptops, which were recovered during searches.
The agency said searches were conducted at 20 locations across India, including Chennai, Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Palamu, Sambalpur, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Gautam Budh Nagar, and New Delhi.
In total, the CBI has seized approximately Rs 37 lakh in cash, six laptops, one iPhone 16 Pro, and other items.
