The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, has suspended Rajeev Sijariya, a professor at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship (ABVSME), in connection with a bribery case involving the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) report, stated a report by Times Now on Tuesday, February 4.

More details on the suspension
Sijariya has been found to have prima facie involvement in a corruption case related to allegations of bribery aimed at securing an A++ NAAC accreditation rating for the Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF).

As a result, JNU’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Santishree Pandit, issued a suspension order, stating that the professor would remain suspended till the outcome of both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and departmental inquiries.

Other information on the case
As per the Times Now report, Sijariya has been arrested. Additionally, the First Information Report (FIR) stated that he was one of ten individuals detained in the NAAC bribery investigation. The FIR further reveals that Sijariya demanded Rs 1.8 crore from KLEF in exchange for a favourable NAAC report.

However, after negotiations, he allegedly agreed to accept a reduced amount, including Rs 10 lakh for the chairman, Rs 3 lakh for each committee member, and additional perks like a laptop and travel expenses for one member’s wife. Ultimately, the professor is said to have settled for a total of Rs 28 lakh.