File affidavit on when scholarship scam probe will be completed, Himachal HC to CBI

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI to file an affidavit on when it will complete its probe into a 2018 case of alleged irregularities in a centrally-funded post-matric scholarship scheme for reserved categories.A bench comprising Chief Justice A A Sayed and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the order on a writ petition filed by one Shyam Lal. The counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI filed a fresh status report.

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Wednesday directed the CBI to file an affidavit on when it will complete its probe into a 2018 case of alleged irregularities in a centrally-funded post-matric scholarship scheme for reserved categories.

A bench comprising Chief Justice A A Sayed and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the order on a writ petition filed by one Shyam Lal. The counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a fresh status report. The agency submitted that it has investigated 28 institutions, has completed its probe related to 15 and has filed seven charge sheets so far. The probe is being conducted expeditiously and efforts are being made to complete it at the earliest, the CBI counsel said but the high court observed that the investigation was on for the last three years. The HC then directed the CBI to file an affidavit by the next date of the hearing and fixed the next hearing for September 19. It directed the agency to specify the deadline for completing the investigation.

The scheme is for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

The petitioner has alleged that Shakti Bhushan, State Project Officer (cShimla) was appointed by the State to inquire into the matter of misappropriation of financial scholarships and he lodged an FIR in 2018 under the directions of HP Secretary (Education).

Apart from the educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh, scores of educational institutions in other states were also involved in this scam, he stated. Consequently, the matter was handed over to the CBI for a thorough investigation.