Burla/Jharsuguda: A major education fraud involving fake B.Ed certificates has been unearthed in western Odisha, with police arresting two alleged agents who duped more than 300 aspirants across multiple districts by promising degrees from Acharya Nagarjuna University.

Fraud network promised Andhra B.Ed Degree for money

The accused, identified as Chittaranjan Barik and Reema Das, were operating from an office near Sambalpur University in Burla under the name “One World Academy.” They allegedly lured students by advertising guaranteed admission to distance B.Ed programmes and collecting large sums of money in return.

According to preliminary investigations, aspirants from districts including Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Balangir, Bargarh, Nuapada and Keonjhar paid amounts running into lakhs, hoping to secure teaching qualifications. Many were issued receipts and assured that their admissions had been processed.

However, suspicions arose when candidates neither received valid admission confirmation nor were allowed to appear for examinations. When confronted, the accused allegedly evaded queries and failed to refund the money.

Over Rs 50,000 collected per candidate

The scam came to light after complaints were lodged at the Jharsuguda Cyber Police Station by victims, including Preetirani Panda and Akankshyamayi Suna, who claimed they had transferred around Rs 55,000 for admission but later discovered that no enrolment had taken place.

Acting on the complaints, a police team launched an investigation under the supervision of district authorities. Initial findings confirmed multiple cases of fraud across police station jurisdictions such as Laikera, Orient, Lakhanpur, Belpahar and Brajrajnagar.

The accused systematically targeted unemployed youth and students seeking B.Ed qualifications, exploiting their aspirations with false promises. The operation is believed to have a wider network, and officials suspect the number of victims could rise further as more complaints emerge, said Jharsuguda SP Gundala Reddy Raghavendra.

Both accused have been arrested, and further investigation is underway to trace additional links and recover the defrauded money. Authorities have urged students to verify the authenticity of institutions and admission processes before making payments.

The case has raised serious concerns about fraudulent education rackets operating in the region and the need for stricter monitoring to protect students from such scams.