Scholarship ‘scam’: Official who alleged irregularities shifted

He had stated: “Interestingly, an amount of Rs. 16.91 crore was paid to such institutions against which the audit team had recommended a recovery of Rs. 8 crore, thus costing the state exchequer Rs. 24.91 crore. If the amount of recoveries which the audit team had concluded are added to this Rs. 16.91 crore, these officials cost the exchequer to the tune of Rs. 24.91 crore. The minister and his team of officers, worked in tandem.”

The report had mentioned: “Payments were made to even those institutions which had been found out as defaulters by the FD audit team. Instead of effecting recoveries from those institutions, heavy payments were made.”

Soon after his report, the CM had ordered a probe into the allegations. The CM had entrusted the inquiry to the CS, who had formed a panel of three officers.

The report of this probe, submitted by Jaspal Singh to Chief Secretary said that money trail of Rs. 39 crore was traced. Sources had said a part of the money, however, made way into the accounts of private colleges run by a few Congress leaders. It had noted that the account of the central grant worth Rs. 39 crore was “not missing” as was stated by Saroj in his communication. After going through massive record of the department, the panel was able to trace the money trail.