Hyderabad: Intensifying their investigations into bribery charges against C Suryaprakash Rao, director of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tadepalligudem, and other staff from the institute, CBI officials on Wednesday conducted searches at different places in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
Officials seized incriminatory documents and other valuable material during the searches.
According to CBI officials, Rao had obtained illegal gratification from SS Caterers, the food catering service provider for NIT AP, N Vishnu Murthy, and Dhana Lakshmi, associate professor at NIT Puducherry.
CBI officials registered cases against Rao, DirDhana Lakshmi, Nerella Subrahmanyam, N Vishnu Murthy and Vidya Nikethan.
Information revealed that Rao was a guide to N Vishnu Murthy, while he was doing Ph. D from NIT, Warangal had demanded and received Rs 1.5lakh and a treadmill to award the degree. When Vishnu Murthy worked as an associate professor in Sri Vidya Niketan, Tirupathi from June 2017 to July 2018, he received a total of Rs 2.04 lakh from the caterer. On the instruction of Surya Prakash Rao, Vishnu Murthy transferred Rs 2 lakh to the account of Mary Rathna, elder sister of Ranjit, a close friend of Vishnu Murthy. Ranjit withdrew the amount and gave it to Ch Venkata Padmaja, the wife of Suryaprakash Rao, who was staying at Kazipet in Warangal.
CBI officials said that Vishnu Murthy received Rs 5.5 lakh from Dhana Lakshmi for getting a posting at NIT Puducherry.
NIR director took bribe for giving top jobs
Director of the Andhra Pradesh National Institute of Technology (NIT) C Suryaprakash Rao had violated rules in the appointment of Ram Prasad as their PRO. Prasad was paid a monthly salary of Rs 50,000. The post is not sanctioned by the institute.
CBI officials registered cases against Rao, and several from NIT, including Ram Prasad, Annapurna Chekkapalli, Gopala Krishna Kapaka, V.V. Suresh Babu, and Veeresh Kumar.
Rao is accused of misusing his official position and illegally appointing unqualified candidates for various posts in NIT, Andhra Pradesh.
"Ram Prasad worked as the PRO from December 3 2018 to November 1 2019 during which period he drew Rs 5.5 lakh as salary. Investigating officials said that one Annapurna Chekkapalli was appointed as superintendent after being given a four-year age relaxation. Suresh Babu was appointed as a junior assistant in NIT AP after 13-year age relaxation. It was similar to how Veeresh Kumar, an old student of Suryaprakash Rao, was appointed as an assistant professor in NIT, AP, with an age relaxation.
