The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (VAC) unit of the Puducherry Police has initiated a probe in connection with a job scam involving K. Mahesh, Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Pondicherry University.
Sources in the VAC said a cheating case was registered in Odhiansalai Police Station in November last year. Muralidharan, a resident of Mangalam village, had lodged a complaint that a person named Rajkumar had collected ₹5 lakh from him, promising a nursing job in the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in 2023-24.
The complainant approached the police after Rajkumar failed to get the job and also return the money. When police questioned Rajkumar, he confessed to taking the money on behalf of Mr. Mahesh, who was then working in JIPMER on deputation.
The case was transferred to VAC owing to the involvement of a government official. The VAC then registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act and included Mahesh as the second accused in the case.
Sources said the Deputy Registrar absconded after the case was registered and secured anticipatory bail from the High Court on Wednesday. “Both together have collected around ₹40 lakh from around six persons, promising nursing jobs at JIPMER,” the source said.
