The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday filed a chargesheet against 12 persons, including the then officials of the Directorate of Higher Education in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla, for alleged misappropriation of funds allotted for pre/post-Matriculation scholarships.
Among those arraigned are the then superintendent (Grade-II), assistant director-cum-district development officer, and four other superintendents (Grade-I), besides the 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, the agency said.
The CBI registered the case in May 2019 on a request from the State government to probe alleged corruption in the disbursal of scholarships under State and Centrally-sponsored schemes for reserved category students.
Initially, an inquiry was conducted through a State Project Officer on complaints over non-receipt of scholarships.
Preliminary findings suggested complicity between officials of the Education Department, Central government, bank officials and institutions. The income/caste certificates of the students were not verified before disbursing loans. More than 80% of the total money disbursed was allegedly granted through private institutions.
After registering the case, the CBI had conducted searches and also arrested some of the accused persons.
