Himachal HC to CBI: Specify date for completion of probe in Scholarship scam

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh, High Court Wednesday ordered the CBI to specify the cutoff date in a matter of Scholarship scam to complete the probe.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice A.A. Sayed and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua, passed these orders on a writ petition filed by one Shyam Lal. The petitioner has alleged that Mr. Shakti Bhushan, State Project Officer (SPM NIU Shimla), who was appointed by the State to inquire into the matter of misappropriation of the financial scholarships under Centrally Sponsored Post Matric Scholarships Scheme for the students belonging to SC, ST and OBC, after conducting inquiry, lodged an FIR in the year 2018, under the directions of
Secretary (Education), to the government of H.P.
The petitioner has further alleged that the inquiry report revealed that the huge sum of scholarship money was
misappropriated. Apart from the educational institutions within the State, scores of educational institutions stationed in other States of India, were also involved in this scam.
Consequently, the matter was handed over to the CBI for proper and thorough investigation by the State. The Counsel for CBI filed a fresh status report before the Court. The counsel for CBI submitted that 24 students and 5 witnesses of Kurukshetra University and Haryana State Board of Technical Education Panchkula have been examined in the matter of ICL Groups of Colleges. Seven witnesses pertaining to ITFT New Chandigarh, IKGPTU Kapurthala and bank officials have been examined.
The counsel for the CBI further stated that CBI has investigated 28 institutions and has completed investigation in respect of 15 institutions and has filed seven charge-sheets, so far. Since the submission of last
status report, CBI has completed an investigation in respect of two institutions and has filed two charge-sheets and the investigation in respect of the remaining 13 institutions is being conducted.
The investigation is being conducted expeditiously and efforts are being made to complete the investigation as soon as possible. However, the court observed that the investigation has been carried out by CBI for the last three years.
The Court directed the CBI to file an affidavit giving the cut-of date within which the investigation would be completed. The said affidavit has been directed to be filed by the next date along with the fresh status
report. The matter has been fixed for September 19, 2022.
UNI ML SY