FRA Chairman’s ₹1,000 Crore Scam Busted!
• Students Cheated, Scammers Rewarded!
• Ghost Software, Real Salaries!
Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098
The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered a massive corruption scandal involving Vijay Achaliya, Chairman of the Maharashtra Fee Regulatory Authority. Achaliya allegedly approved fake fee hike proposals, ignored student complaints, enabled illegal scholarship claims, and violated procurement norms—resulting in a multi-crore fraud impacting students and state funds alike.
Contents
FRA Chairman’s ₹1,000 Crore Scam Busted!• Students Cheated, Scammers Rewarded!• Ghost Software, Real Salaries!Fee Hike Scam: Bogus Proposals Approved Without ScrutinyGovernment Scholarships Looted Using Fake College DataNo Tendering, Inflated Contracts & Ghost Software ProjectsLegal Violations in Redressal Mechanisms: Deliberate Delay and Non-ComplianceAlso Read: ₹80,000 Crore in Development Funds Stuck Amid Silent Ban.Institutionalized Suppression of Complaints by StakeholdersSprouts SIT Demands Government Action Against Vijay Achaliya
A bombshell investigation by the Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) has revealed large-scale corruption under Vijay Achaliya, Chairman of the Maharashtra Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA). Documents accessed through the Right to Information (RTI) Act show that since 2018, retired judge Achaliya has allegedly suppressed legitimate complaints from students and stakeholders, while backing blacklisted private college operators facing criminal charges.
Fee Hike Scam: Bogus Proposals Approved Without Scrutiny
The Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) is entrusted with approving annual tuition fee proposals submitted by unaided engineering, pharmacy, medical, and other private colleges in Maharashtra. These proposals must include audited financials, including previous year’s expenditure on salaries and infrastructure.
However, the SIT has uncovered that many colleges submitted forged and inaccurate proposals, in collusion with FRA chairman Vijay Achaliya, to artificially inflate student fees. These were passed without basic verification, in clear violation of FRA regulations. In doing so, FRA became complicit in a multi-crore academic fraud.
Even after multiple complaints, supported by official evidence, Achaliya is accused of abusing his position to protect corrupt institutions, rather than take corrective action.
Government Scholarships Looted Using Fake College Data
The implications go beyond student fees. Several private colleges allegedly used these fake approvals to siphon off crores in government scholarships, primarily from the Social Welfare, Tribal Welfare, and Minority Development Departments. These colleges, backed by Achaliya’s approvals, presented false audits and forged data to obtain public funds illegally.
The Sprouts SIT has obtained evidence that this led to a direct financial loss to the Maharashtra government and students, who were denied quality education despite high fees.
No Tendering, Inflated Contracts & Ghost Software Projects
In a shocking violation of public procurement norms, FRA undertook over ₹50 lakh worth of work without any tender process. Additionally, a female contract employee, appointed as a software developer, was given an exorbitant salary hike despite no record of any software ever being delivered. Furthermore, there has never been an independent audit of FRA’s software infrastructure to date.
Employees on contract were also denied provident fund (PF) benefits for years, another violation exposed by the Sprouts SIT.
Legal Violations in Redressal Mechanisms: Deliberate Delay and Non-Compliance
Under Achaliya’s tenure, FRA did not constitute a mandatory grievance redressal committee between 2016 and 2021, despite legal obligations. When one was nominally announced in 2021, it took until 2024 to begin functioning.
Even after 2024, FRA’s chairman has allegedly refused to implement or act upon decisions passed by the redressal committee, effectively rendering the process meaningless. This systemic inaction has denied justice to numerous students and parents who raised genuine concerns regarding fee anomalies.
Also Read: ₹80,000 Crore in Development Funds Stuck Amid Silent Ban.
Institutionalized Suppression of Complaints by Stakeholders
The Sprouts News Special Investigation Team (SIT) has verified cases where student and parent complaints, submitted with notarized affidavits, were deliberately buried by FRA. In some instances, whistleblowers have faced retaliation, further pointing to a culture of suppression and administrative arrogance.
Achaliya’s conduct has raised serious questions about regulatory capture and governance failure in Maharashtra’s education system.
Sprouts SIT Demands Government Action Against Vijay Achaliya
Given the overwhelming evidence, Sprouts News SIT has formally demanded that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra initiate immediate action against Vijay Achaliya. The SIT calls for:
•Immediate removal and investigation of Vijay Achaliya
•Audit of all fee approvals from 2016–2024
•Criminal proceedings against corrupt institutional heads
•Restitution for students affected by fake fee hikes
The findings represent a serious breach of public trust and regulatory responsibility. The Sprouts News Investigation Team will continue to monitor the case and bring further updates as the probe progresses.
