Expedite investigation in HP Post matric scholarship scam: HC to CBI

Himachal Pradesh High court on Thursday retriated the CBI in a matter pertaining to wrongfuland illegal disbursement and misappropriation of Post- Matric ScholarshipScheme to Sc, ST and OBC students, directing the agency to expedite the processof completion of investigation and file the charge sheets at the earliest. The Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq andJustice Sandeep Sharma, passed these orders on a wit petition fled by oneShyam Lal. The petitioner has alleged that Mr. Shakti Bhushan, State ProjectOfficer (SPM NIU Shimla), who was appointed by the State to inquire into thematter of misappropriation of the financial scholarships under CentrallySponsored Post Matric Scholarships Scheme for the students belonging to SCST and OBC, after conducting inquiry, lodged an FIR in the year 2018, underirections of Secretary (Education), to the Govt. of H.P. The petitioner hasfurther alleged that the inquiry report revealed that the huge sum of scholarshipmoney was misappropriated. Apart from the educational institutions within theState, scores of educational institutions stationed in other States of India, werealso involved in this scam. Consequently, the matter was handed over to theCBI for proper and thorough investigation by the State.The petitioner has prayed to direct the State Government to handovercomplete investigation of all cases and errant institutions to CBI. The petitionerhas further prayed to direct CBI to investigate all institutions named by Sh.Shakti Bhushan and thereafter to bring such investigations to the logicalconclusion by filing criminal cases against all the errant institutions named in thelist without any exception.Earlier the High Court on 04.04.2022, took note of the submissions madeby the Counsel for CBI that out of 266 private institutions, 28 were involved inthe alleged scholarship scam. Investigation qua 11 of them has already beencompleted and charge sheets have been filed and the investigation against 17institutions is still under progress. Taking note of the aforesaid submissions theCourt expressed anguish that despite lapse of six months since the matter waslast taken up, not even a single charge sheet has been filedThe Counsel for CBI fled fresh status report in the Court, stating thereinthat seven accused have been arrested and two charge sheets have been filedon 18.04.2022, covering two Educational Institutions, namely, Apex Group ofProfessional Institutions, Indri, District Karnal, Haryana and Himalayan Group ofProfessional Institutions, Kala-Amb, District Sirmour, H.P, against theowners/employees of the aforesaid Institutions and officials of Directorate ofHigher Education Shimla, for commission of offence under different sections ofIndian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act. The scope of theinvestigation 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 ofITFT Education Group, Chandigarh, CBI has further progressed, inasmuch as56 witnesses have been examined. Field investigation in respect of two moreinstitutions namely, ITFT Education Group, Chandigarh & ICL Group ofColleges, Shahzadpur, District Ambala, Haryana, is almost complete andcharge sheets in those cases shall be filed shortly. The matter has been fixedfor May 30, 2022 for further hearing on the matter.