SHIMLA: Expressing its anguish over the delay of over six months, High Court of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday today directed the CBI to expedite the process of completion of investigation and file the charge sheets in connection with the matter of misappropriation of financial Post-Matric Scholarships for SC, ST and OBC students at the earliest.
Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Sandeep Sharma passed these orders today on a writ petition filed by one Shyam Lal.
The petitioner has alleged that Mr. Shakti Bhushan, State Project Officer (SPM NIU Shimla) was appointed by the State to inquire into the matter. He conducted inquiry into misappropriation of the financial scholarships under Centrally Sponsored Post- Matric Scholarships Scheme meant for the students belonging to SC, ST and OBC categories.
After conducting inquiry, FIR was lodged in the year 2018, under the direction of Secretary (Education), to the Government of H.P.
The petitioner has further alleged that the inquiry report revealed that the huge sum of scholarship money was misappropriated.
Apart from the educational institutions within the State, scores of educational institutions stationed in other States of India, were also involved in this scam.
Consequently, the matter was handed over to the CBI for proper and thorough investigation by the State.
The petitioner has prayed to direct the State Government to handover complete investigation of all cases and errant institutions to CBI.
The petitioner has further prayed to direct CBI to investigate all institutions named by Sh. Shakti Bhushan and thereafter to bring such investigations to the logical conclusion. He prayed that criminal cases should be filed against all the errant institutions named in the list without any exception.
Earlier the High Court on 04.04.2022 took note of the submissions made by the Counsel for CBI. Counsel had informed that out of 266 private institutions, 28 were involved in the alleged scholarship scam.
Investigation into 11 of them has already been completed and charge sheets have been filed. The investigation against 17 institutions is still under progress, counsel had informed.
Taking note of these submissions the High Court expressed anguish that despite a lapse of six months since the matter was last taken up, not even a single charge sheet has been filed.
The Counsel for CBI filed fresh status report in the Court, stating therein that seven accused have been arrested.
The two charge sheets have been filed on 18.04.2022. The two Educational Institutions- Apex Group of Professional Institutions, Indri, District Karnal, Haryana and Himalayan Group of Professional Institutions, Kala-Amb, District Sirmour Himachal- were included into the Chargesheets.
The owners/employees of the aforesaid Institutions and officials of Directorate of Higher Education Shimla were booked for commission of offence under different sections of Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act in these two Chargesheets.
The scope of the investigation has been kept open to unearth the role of bank officials. It has been further stated in the report that investigation in connection with the role of ITFT Education Group, Chandigarh, CBI has further progressed, inasmuch as 56 witnesses have been examined.
Field investigation in connection with two more institutions- ITFT Education Group, Chandigarh and ICL Group of Colleges, Shahzadpur, district Ambala, Haryana- is almost complete. The charge sheets in those cases shall be filed shortly, counsel informed.
The matter has been fixed for 30.05.2022 to see further progress.
