New Delhi, Jun 15 (PTI) Investigation into an alleged SC/ST students scholarship scam in Uttarakhand found that about 47 per cent of the beneficiaries had either failed examinations, remained absent, were not traceable or continued to receive the special grant despite not fulfilling the prescribed eligibility criteria, the ED said on Monday.
The central agency has been probing this case since 2020 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
It took cognisance of an FIR registered by the Uttarakhand Police related to the “fraudulent” availing and siphoning of post-matric scholarships meant for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students during the period 2011-12 to 2016-17.
The agency said in a statement that it issued a sixth order attaching assets like fixed deposits, land parcels and educational/ institutional buildings in Haridwar and Roorkee, worth Rs 13.83 crore, as part of the investigation.
This comprises Rs 2.44 crore pertaining to New Tuples Education Society (operating Mahaveer Institute of Technology, Meerut), Rs 3.95 crore of Motherhood Institute of Management and Technology Society (operating Motherhood Institute of Management and Technology, Roorkee) and Rs 7.44 crore of Modern Institute of Management and Technology Society (operating Roorkee Institute of Management Sciences/Medical Sciences, Haridwar).
“The ED investigation uncovered a systematic modus operandi wherein scholarship claims were submitted in the names of students who were either not genuinely enrolled, not attending classes, academically ineligible, or otherwise not entitled to receive scholarship benefits under the applicable scheme.
“Verification conducted through various universities and educational authorities revealed significant discrepancies in admission, enrolment and examination records and further established that a large number of purported beneficiaries had either failed examinations, remained absent, were not traceable in university records, or continued to receive scholarships despite not fulfilling the prescribed eligibility criteria,” the agency said.
The probe found that out of 6,208 scholarship claims, 2,895 (46.63 per cent) were fraudulent.
This “fraud” resulted in wrongful loss to the state government and corresponding unlawful gain to the accused persons and associated entities, the agency added.
It said scholarship funds of Rs 27.98 crore were disbursed by the district social welfare officer (DSWO) of Haridwar (during the stated period) and out of this Rs 19.74 crore was credited directly into the bank accounts of the educational institutions while Rs 8.24 crore was credited into bank accounts maintained in the names of students, according to the agency.
The probe found that bank accounts were opened and operated in the names of students “under the control” of college management and staff.
“Common mobile numbers of college employees were used for opening several student accounts and middlemen were engaged for facilitating admissions and banking formalities. Scholarship amounts credited into such accounts were subsequently transferred back to the institutions or withdrawn in cash, thereby defeating the very objective of the welfare scheme,” the ED said.
Immediately upon receipt of scholarship funds, it said, “substantial” amounts were transferred to various educational societies, trusts, related entities and third parties, followed by cash withdrawals and layered transactions.
The ED has filed five charge sheets in this case before a special PMLA court in Dehradun so far. PTI NES KSS KSS
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