Grave irregularities present in 13 out of twenty-two instructional establishments in scholarship rip-off

By PTI

SHIMLA: Grave irregularities have been present in 13 out of twenty-two instructional establishments that are on the radar of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) within the Rs 250-crore scholarship rip-off, company sources mentioned.

Investigations revealed that these 13 establishments took scholarships within the title of about 2,000 fictitious college students, sources within the CBI mentioned.

The accounts and different documentation of the remaining establishments are but to be checked, they added.

Scrutiny of paperwork, accounts and information procured from computer systems and different associated materials of those establishments positioned in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh by the CBI revealed that scholarship fund was siphoned and scholarship was taken within the title of scholars who both didn’t exist or had left the establishments, sources added.

These establishments bagged a serious chunk of the scholarship quantity.

The rip-off began in 2012-13 when the scholarship for pre-matric and post-matric college students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes below 36 schemes weren’t paid to eligible beneficiaries.

The rip-off remained hidden for nearly 5 years as the one who created the web portal for disbursement of scholarship was additionally liable for transferring the quantity.

The matter got here to gentle in 2018 following reviews that college students of presidency faculties in tribal Spiti valley in Lahaul and Spiti district had not been paid any scholarship for the previous 5 years.

Investigations had identified that pretend letterheads to indicate false affiliation had been utilized by some establishments to mislead the schooling division which did not guarantee bodily verification of infrastructure and power of scholars.

The different discrepancies included non-submission of Aadhaar numbers of scholars by establishments, use of identical Aadhaar accounts to withdraw scholarships of a number of college students who didn’t exist and opening of pretend accounts in nationalised banks.

In order to seize the scholarship cash, the establishments allegedly used the clean cheques and vouchers submitted on the time of admission, allegedly in connivance with some workers of nationalised banks which opened the accounts with out Aadhaar verification.

The administration allegedly gave their very own telephone numbers as registered numbers of scholars in order that they obtain SMSes relating to transactions and withdraw the cash.

More than Rs 28 crore of post-matric scholarship cash for SC/ST/OBC college students was disbursed to 9 pretend establishments in Una, Chamba, Sirmaur and Kangra districts working below one title with out affiliation from the competent our bodies.

The key accused, the then Superintendent Grade-II of the Department of Higher Education (coping with disbarment of scholarship), was arrested and it was discovered that his spouse had 33 per cent stakes in these establishments.

The CBI had registered a case below sections 409, 419, 465, 466 and 471 of the IPC for felony breach of belief, forgery and dishonest right here on May 8, 2019.

During the course of investigations, it was discovered that 80 per cent of the scholarship cash was paid to personal establishments.

So far 4 cost sheets have been filed within the case towards greater than 16 folks, together with administrators of the erring establishments, workers of the schooling division and financial institution staffers.

SHIMLA: Grave irregularities have been present in 13 out of twenty-two instructional establishments that are on the radar of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) within the Rs 250-crore scholarship rip-off, company sources mentioned.

Investigations revealed that these 13 establishments took scholarships within the title of about 2,000 fictitious college students, sources within the CBI mentioned.

The accounts and different documentation of the remaining establishments are but to be checked, they added.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

Scrutiny of paperwork, accounts and information procured from computer systems and different associated materials of those establishments positioned in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh by the CBI revealed that scholarship fund was siphoned and scholarship was taken within the title of scholars who both didn’t exist or had left the establishments, sources added.

These establishments bagged a serious chunk of the scholarship quantity.

The rip-off began in 2012-13 when the scholarship for pre-matric and post-matric college students belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes below 36 schemes weren’t paid to eligible beneficiaries.

The rip-off remained hidden for nearly 5 years as the one who created the web portal for disbursement of scholarship was additionally liable for transferring the quantity.

The matter got here to gentle in 2018 following reviews that college students of presidency faculties in tribal Spiti valley in Lahaul and Spiti district had not been paid any scholarship for the previous 5 years.

Investigations had identified that pretend letterheads to indicate false affiliation had been utilized by some establishments to mislead the schooling division which did not guarantee bodily verification of infrastructure and power of scholars.

The different discrepancies included non-submission of Aadhaar numbers of scholars by establishments, use of identical Aadhaar accounts to withdraw scholarships of a number of college students who didn’t exist and opening of pretend accounts in nationalised banks.

In order to seize the scholarship cash, the establishments allegedly used the clean cheques and vouchers submitted on the time of admission, allegedly in connivance with some workers of nationalised banks which opened the accounts with out Aadhaar verification.

The administration allegedly gave their very own telephone numbers as registered numbers of scholars in order that they obtain SMSes relating to transactions and withdraw the cash.

More than Rs 28 crore of post-matric scholarship cash for SC/ST/OBC college students was disbursed to 9 pretend establishments in Una, Chamba, Sirmaur and Kangra districts working below one title with out affiliation from the competent our bodies.

The key accused, the then Superintendent Grade-II of the Department of Higher Education (coping with disbarment of scholarship), was arrested and it was discovered that his spouse had 33 per cent stakes in these establishments.

The CBI had registered a case below sections 409, 419, 465, 466 and 471 of the IPC for felony breach of belief, forgery and dishonest right here on May 8, 2019.

During the course of investigations, it was discovered that 80 per cent of the scholarship cash was paid to personal establishments.

So far 4 cost sheets have been filed within the case towards greater than 16 folks, together with administrators of the erring establishments, workers of the schooling division and financial institution staffers.