The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Andhra Pradesh director CSP Rao has been suspended by the Education Ministry. This came following complaints of “irregularities” in the institution. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Visakhapatnam have also launched inquiries in this matter, reported a leading news daily.

He had allegedly appointed ineligible people for important posts like PRO, assistant professor, liaison officer, junior assistant, and superintendents. As per reports, he had allegedly appointed Ram Prasad as the PRO, however, there is no such post in NIT. Prasad was paid Rs 50,000 as monthly salary and served as the PRO from December 3, 2018 to November 1, 2019.

He also allegedly appointed superintendents Ch Annapurna, Kappaka Gopalakrishna, junior assistant VV Suresh Babu, and assistant professor Veeresh Kumar. Most of these people were appointed against the eligibility criteria and age limit.

Rao was earlier a professor of mechanical engineering at NIT Warangal. He was appointed the director of NIT AP for a period of five years on March 19, 2018. During his tenure as a professor at NIT Warangal, he allegedly took bribe of Rs 1.50 lakh and a treadmill from a PhD scholar whom he was guiding.