Bhubaneswar: The Higher Education department Thursday afternoon cancelled the promotion of Abhaya Kumar Mohanty as English Reader. The administrative action came close on the heels of a departmental inquiry over alleged submission of fake certificate by Abhaya.
The department in its notification stated that the placement of Abhaya as Reader with effect from January 2, 1997 in the scale of pay of Rs 12,000-420-18,300 stands cancelled owing to the forgery done.
According to a source, Abhaya is the father of Kendrapara MP and Odia actor Anubhav. The former earlier retired as a Lecturer in English from Kandarpur College in Cuttack. He produced a fake Refresher Course certificate to avail the promotion and was found guilty.
Also read: 4 minor students drown while bathing in Mahanadi River, body of one recovered
Principal Secretary to the department has issued a notification in this regard, thereby superseding the previous one dated May 3, 2008. The department sent a letter to Abhaya’s house in Cuttack as well as the Kandarpur College authorities asking them to take suitable steps.
The Higher Education department had withdrawn the extra pensionary benefits extended to Abhaya Mohanty in a revised pay scale over the submission of fake Refresher Course certificate for promotion.
It is pertinent to mention here that an enquiry was conducted by the department after allegations were leveled against Abhaya. He had produced a fake certificate of the refresher course from December 1 to 28, 1993, which was actually not issued by Berhampur University.
In response to a previous verification request made by the Higher Education department, the university had clarified before the enquiry committee that no such refresher course was carried out in 1993.
PNN