The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at 24 locations in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi, in connection with an alleged scholarship scam.
The agency’s money laundering probe is based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
It pertains to the funds disbursed by the Himachal Pradesh Directorate of Higher Education, under the post-matric scholarship scheme for students belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
The ED searched the premises linked to the officials of the State Education Department, banks and owners of the entities related to private universities and institutions, who were involved in large-scale misappropriation of scholarship funds, as alleged.
During the operation, the agency seized ₹75 lakh in unaccounted cash, and about ₹2.55 crore lying in bank accounts was frozen.
In May 2019, the CBI had searched the premises of 22 educational institutions across Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab in connection with the alleged ₹250 crore scholarship scam. In 2020, it filed a chargesheet against 12 accused persons.
They included the then Superintendent (Grade-II), Assistant Director-cum-District Development Officer, and four other Superintendents (Grade-I); apart from a former head cashier of the Central Bank of India; and two then campus directors, vice-chairman, chairman and officiating principal of the K.C. Group of Institutions in Una.
Preliminary CBI findings had indicated a conspiracy between the officials of the Education Department, the Central government, bank officials, and institutions. The income/caste certificates of the students were not verified before disbursing the funds.
As it turned out, over 80% of the total money was allegedly granted via private institutions.
