LUCKNOW, March 26 -- The investigation into fraudulent appointments in Uttar Pradesh's Basic Education Department has gathered pace, with eight more teachers booked in Sitapur district for allegedly securing jobs using forged documents, officials said on Tuesday. The FIRs were registered across Biswan, Sakran and Rausa police stations over the past three days following a complaint by block education officer Omkar Singh, signalling a widening crackdown on irregular recruitments. "Two cases each were lodged in Biswan and Sakran, while four were filed in Rausa between March 22 and 24," Singh emphasized. Officials said the cases stem from alleged irregularities in the 12,460 assistant teacher recruitment process, in which at least 21 candidates in Sitapur alone were found to have secured appointments using forged documents. All had joined service on July 1, 2024. During counselling, candidates submitted UPTET mark sheets purportedly issued in 2014. Suspicions arose during digital verification when records failed to match official data. P5...