The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken significant steps in the wake of a massive scandal involving the misappropriation of scholarships intended for scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), and other backward class (OBC) students in Himachal Pradesh. In an official statement released on Friday, the agency announced the filing of chargesheets against 20 institutions and 105 individuals allegedly complicit in the fraudulent activities, as reported by ANI.

According to the CBI, the chargesheets encompass a range of parties, including owners of the implicated institutions, personnel from the Directorate of Higher Education in Shimla, bank officials, and various private individuals. The investigative efforts have culminated in the completion of inquiries into the case.

During the course of the investigation, the CBI made 19 arrests, which included employees from the Directorate of Higher Education in Shimla, as well as chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, directors, and employees of educational institutions, alongside bank officials.

The case stems from an initial probe initiated by the CBI in 2019 at the request of the Himachal Pradesh government. It pertains to allegations of private educational institutions in the state making fraudulent claims totaling approximately Rs. 181 crore in scholarships between 2013 and 2017. The investigation, monitored by the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, has involved periodic submission of status reports.

The scam revolves around the misuse of a government scholarship and fee reimbursement scheme designed to aid students belonging to SC, ST, and OBC categories. The malpractice came to light following reports that students in government schools within the tribal Spiti Valley of Lahaul and Spiti district had not received their entitled scholarships for five consecutive years.

In response to the CBI’s findings, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a separate investigation into potential money laundering activities, based on an FIR registered by the CBI in May 2019 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.