Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor, Rajeev Sijariya is suspended following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) bribery case. A faculty at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship (ABVSME), Sijariya was named in an FIR along with other ten individuals in NAAC bribery case and was detained by the CBI.
The FIR states that Sijariya played a central part in the bribery deal in which, it says, an inspection team of the NAAC allegedly sought ₹1.8 crore from then Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF) of Andhra Pradesh in exchange for a favourable accreditation report. According to the report, the inspection team too negotiated the amount and agreed to pay ₹10 lakh for the chairman and ₹3 lakh for each member after negotiations. There were also perks, such as laptops, travel expenses, and benefits for a member’s wife, in the deal.
According to the allegation, Sijariya played a role in the deal by asking for ₹1.3 crore but eventually accepting ₹28 lakh. It follows recommendations by a three-member committee, which reviews the matter and makes suggestions to the vice chancellor of the university.
It is not yet another controversy surrounding Rajeev Sijariya. Immediately after allegations of undemocratic decision making and instigating his students against faculty members came to light, his tenure as Dean of ABVSME was cut short in 2023. Now his actions have attracted further scrutiny, and the ongoing investigation of the bribery case may amount to a public recrimination and potential end of his academic career and reputation.
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