Updated 22 February 2025 at 08:28 IST
Himachal Scholarship 'Scam': ED Freezes Assets Worth Rs 18 Crore of Educational Institute, Promoters
The money laundering case investigation began with a CBI FIR filed to investigate suspected irregularities in the distribution of scholarships.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday announced it has attached land parcels and flats valued over Rs 18 crore belonging to an educational institute based in Himachal Pradesh and its promoters. This action is part of a money laundering investigation connected to an alleged scholarship scam in the state. The ED's actions target the Maa Saraswati Educational Trust, which oversees the Himalayan Group of Professional Institutions located in Kala Amb, Sirmaur district, along with its trustees.
In connection with this case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested seven individuals, including an Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer stationed in Shimla and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) from their department. Additionally, the ED has arrested six individuals as part of their ongoing investigation. Attempts to reach out to the institute or its promoters for their response to the allegations made by the ED have been unsuccessful so far.
The money laundering case investigation began from a CBI FIR filed to investigate suspected irregularities in the distribution of scholarships by the Directorate of Higher Education of the Himachal Pradesh government under the post-matric scholarship scheme designed for students belonging to OBC, SC, and ST categories in the state.
Under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), an order has been issued to temporarily seize three pieces of land totalling approximately 125 bighas registered under the Maa Saraswati Educational Trust in Nahan, Sirmaur district. Additionally, two flats registered under the names of trustees Preeti Bansal and Richa Bansal in the Maa Saraswati Educational Trust, located in Panchkula, Haryana , have also been provisionally attached, the federal probe agency stated in a statement.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has assessed the total value of these assets to be approximately Rs 18.27 crore. Additionally, other educational institutes are also being investigated by the probing agencies in connection with this case.
According to the ED, their investigation revealed that the involved institutes in this alleged fraud obtained scholarship funds from the government by "verifying" details of students who either did not exist or had discontinued their courses before completion.
The investigation uncovered that to fraudulently obtain more amount of scholarship funds, fabricated student details were uploaded onto the HP-e Pass portal, which is the government's scholarship portal.
According to the ED, the funds obtained from the criminal activities were used by different individuals involved in the offence to purchase both movable and immovable properties in their own names and in the names of their family members. As a result of these actions, the total value of assets currently frozen by the ED amounts to approximately Rs 29 crore.
(With PTI Inputs)
Published By : Animesh Bhardwaj
Published On: 22 February 2025 at 08:27 IST