Impostor Teacher Sacked in Banka After 30 Years of Fake Service
A shocking case of government job fraud in Bihar has ended with the dismissal of a teacher who worked in a government school for nearly 30 years using another person's identity. The case has triggered questions about how such a long-running deception went unnoticed in the education department.
The Banka district education department has dismissed assistant teacher Manoj Kumar from service with immediate effect under the Bihar Government Servant Rules, 2005.
A Teaching Job Obtained Through Another Man's Identity
The incident pertains to the Pronnat Madhya Vidyalaya in Nagri Janukitta, under the Barahat block of Banka district. A departmental inquiry revealed that in 1994, the accused allegedly obtained the teaching post by using the identity and academic documents of a candidate who had cleared the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) teacher recruitment exam that year.
The Genuine Candidate Joined the Police
The investigation found that the genuine Manoj Kumar had cleared the 1994 BPSC teacher exam and had also been selected as a daroga. Choosing the police career, he joined the police department as a sub-inspector that same year. He is now serving as a police inspector in Ranchi.
Because the real candidate did not take up the teaching post, the vacancy was reportedly exploited by another individual. He allegedly used the original candidate's name, father's name, address, PAN card and educational certificates to get appointed.
About three decades of service followed in schools in the Panjwara and Barahat areas.
A Deoghar Investigation Opened the Trail
The scam surfaced during a Deoghar police investigation in Jharkhand, linked to Mohanpur police station case number 216/23. The investigation then extended to the Banka district education department, after which both agencies began a joint review of the matter.
Original Records Told the Story
When the accused was asked to submit the original BPSC 1994 certificate, matriculation and intermediate documents, he produced only duplicate copies. The original documents of the real Manoj Kumar, now in Ranchi, were checked and found to be genuine.
Notices Ignored and Delays Continued
The department sought an explanation from the accused, but he kept avoiding a reply. He pointed to medical treatment in Kolkata and other reasons. Registered letters sent to his address were returned because the address was incomplete.
Eventually, the inquiry report by the District Programme Officer, Establishment and Operations, confirmed the allegations.
Dismissal Ordered and Legal Steps Directed
Following the findings, the district education department ordered Manoj Kumar's immediate dismissal. Authorities have also directed that further legal action be taken.
The fraud remained hidden from official oversight for nearly 30 years. Now the key question is why the verification of an employee who served for so long on another candidate's documents was never completed.