Sambalpur, Ap 27: A major education fraud has been uncovered in western Odisha involving fake B.Ed certificates, with police arresting two alleged agents who reportedly duped more than 300 aspirants across several districts. The accused, Chittaranjan Barik and Reema Das, allegedly promised degrees from Acharya Nagarjuna University through their office, “One World Academy,” near Sambalpur University in Burla.

According to police, the duo lured students by advertising guaranteed admission to distance B.Ed programs and collected large sums of money in return. Aspirants from districts including Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sonepur, Balangir, Bargarh, Nuapada, and Keonjhar reportedly paid amounts running into lakhs, hoping to secure teaching qualifications. Many were issued receipts and assured that their admissions were processed.

Suspicion arose when candidates neither received valid admission confirmations nor were allowed to appear for exams. When confronted, the accused allegedly evaded questions and refused to refund the money.

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 paid around Rs 55,000 for admission but later discovered no enrollment had taken place.

Acting on the complaints, police launched an investigation under district supervision. Initial findings confirmed multiple fraud cases across police jurisdictions, including Laikera, Orient, Lakhanpur, Belpahar, and Brajrajnagar.

Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police Gundala Reddy Raghavendra stated that the accused systematically targeted unemployed youth and students seeking B.Ed qualifications, exploiting their aspirations with false promises. Authorities suspect the operation may involve a wider network, and the number of victims could rise as more complaints emerge.

Both accused have been arrested, and investigations are ongoing to trace additional links and recover the defrauded money. Officials have urged students to verify the authenticity of institutions and admission procedures before making any payments.

The case has sparked serious concerns about fraudulent education rackets in the region and underscores the need for stricter monitoring to protect students from similar scams.