55 crore scholarship scam: Punjab Congress Minister, officials indicted

Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister of Punjab Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, among officers of his department, were indicted in a post-matric scholarship scam. The inquiry report prepared by Additional Chief Secretary of minister’s department pointed out that 55 crores amount of scholarships were wrongly sanctioned to private institutions and ‘ghost’ institutes.

The report says that the amount of 39 crores was released to ghost institutes as during investigation no such institutes came on record, whereas 16.71 crores were wrongly given to private institutes that indicates the kind of favour was done to facilitate. 

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The report did not stick to the amount of scholarship. Tt further mentions that there was a nexus running among Minister and department officials that need to be probed. Social welfare department is responsible for dispersing the post-matric scholarships to scheduled castes and other backward class students under the scheme.

The irregularities of disbursal of funds were exposed last year and following an inquiry that was marked to expose the names of people involved in the scam. With the names of Minister and officers, ACS Kirpa Shankar Saroj (inquiry officer) submitted the report to the chief minister’s office and CMO has to take further action. The report says “looking into the factual position of the role played by each official/authority for distributing Rs 248.11 crores a whimsical, appropriate action may initiated.”

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Political storm 

SAD and AAP party leaders immediately demanded the dismissal of Minister and to lodge the FIR against Dharamsot. Meanwhile, the BJP unit of Punjab attack the congress and demanded a CBI probe to expose the chain of names involved in this scam. 

Dharamsot justifies 

Social welfare minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot while defending himself stated that he is ready for any probe by any agency into the scam. Dharamsot quoted the report as absurd and a figment of imagination said that it was politically motivated against him. While clearing his position Dharamsot said that still there is 1550 cr are withheld by centre government and he is taking up the matter for the release of amount.

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(Image credits: PTI)