Madras HC issues notice to govt over mismanagement of funds for SC students

The Madras High Court Monday issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government on a petition seeking action over alleged swindling of funds meant for the education of students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST).

A division bench, comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice P Rajamanickam, before which the public interest litigation (PIL) petition of advocate K Karthikeyan came up, ordered the notice to the Department of Adi-Dravidar and Welfare. The judges directed the government pleader in-charge, Jayaprakash Narayan, to get instructions and posted the matter for further hearing to December 10.

The petitioner submitted that a team of auditors appointed by the state government to scrutinise the amount spent on SC and ST students in its report had revealed syphoning of over Rs 17 crore of public money by the authorities, including educational institutions.

The funds were granted by the government to enhance the educational status of the SC and ST students, he said. A full-fledged only inquiry was required into the alleged misappropriation to recover the swindled sum, the petitioner added.