CBI raids 22 educational institutions in Rs 250 cr scholarship scam

The CBI carried out searches at 22 locations Monday after registering a case in connection with alleged irregularities in distribution of scholarships worth Rs 250 crore to disadvantaged students by the Himachal Pradesh government from 2013-2017, officials said. The move comes six days before all the four parliamentary constituencies in the state go to polls.

The searches were conducted at 22 educational institutions in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, the sources said. Teams of CBI officials swooped down at the premises of these institutions in Una, Karnal, Mohali, Nawanshahr, Ambala, Shimla, Sirmour, Solan, Bilaspur, Chamba, Gurdaspur, Kangra among others, they said.

The educational institutions searched by the agency had allegedly received pre-matric and post-matric scholarship from the government but all the funds were not received by the intended beneficiaries belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes (OBC) and minority communities, CBI has alleged. The case has been taken over by the CBI on the request of the Himachal Pradesh government. It is alleged that irregularities in the distribution of scholarships funded under central and state government schemes took place during 2013-17 when Congress was in the power in the state, he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)