CBI arrests 3 persons in HP scholarship scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said on Friday that it has arrested three persons, including the then Superintendent of the Department of Higher Education, in connection with the alleged irregularities in Himachal Pradesh's pre-matric and post-matric scholarship scheme.

The central probe agency said that it has arrested Arvind Rajta, Superintendent Grade-II, Department of Higher Education, Hitesh Gandhi, Vice Chairman of K.C. Group of Institutions, and S.P Singh, head cashier, Central Bank of India.

A CBI official said that Raijta was arrested from Shimla, while Gandhi and Singh were arrested from Nawanshahr in Punjab.

The CBI has registered a case on the request of Himachal Pradesh government and further notification from Central government on May 7, 2019 against unknown persons under sections of criminal breach, cheating by impersonation, forgery, forgery of record of court or of public register and using forged documents as genuine.

The official said that the CBI had registered a case against unknown officials for alleged misappropriation of scholarship funds meant for Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe, Other Backward Classes and minority community to the tune of around Rs 220 crore between 2013-14 and 2016-17.

It was further alleged that the income or caste certificates of alleged students were not genuine. The CBI had earlier conducted searches at the location of 21 private institutes in May last year after registering the case.

The arrested persons will be produced before the designated court.IANS