55 crore scholarship scam: Punjab Congress Minister, officials indicted

Social Justice, Empowerment and Mirities Minister of Punjab Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, among officers of his department, were indicted in a post-matric scholarship scam. 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.

report says that amount of 39 crores was released to ghost institutes as during investigation such institutes came on record, whereas 16.71 crores were wrongly given to private institutes that indicates kind of favour was done to facilitate. 

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report did t stick to amount of scholarship. Tt furr mentions that re was a nexus running among Minister and department officials that need to be probed. Social welfare department is responsible for dispersing post-matric scholarships to scheduled castes and or backward class students under scheme.

irregularities of disbursal of funds were exposed last year and following an inquiry that was marked to expose names of people involved in scam. With names of Minister and officers, ACS Kirpa Shankar Saroj (inquiry officer) submitted report to chief minister’s office and CMO has to take furr action.  report says “looking into factual position of 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 dismissal of Minister and to lodge FIR against Dharamsot. Meanwhile, BJP unit of Punjab attack congress and demanded a CBI probe to expose 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 ncy into scam. Dharamsot quoted report as absurd and a figment of imagination said that it was politically motivated against him. While clearing his position Dharamsot said that still re is 1550 cr are withheld by centre government and he is taking up matter for release of amount.

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(Im credits: PTI)