CID of Assam Police files charges against 32 persons in scholarship scam

MULTI-CRORE MINORITIES SCHOLARSHIP SCAM

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police has filed a 7,386-page charge sheet against 32 persons in connection with misappropriation of government fund meant as pre-matriculation scholarship for students belonging to the minority communities. In addition to this, the case diary runs into 1,880 pages. Altogether 220 persons have been named as prosecution witnesses.

On Thursday, the CID submitted the charge sheet before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Kamrup (M). The charge sheet has been filed under the Sections 120(B)/ 406/ 409/ 419/ 420/ 468/ 471/ 109/ 201/ 34 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) and 66C/66D of the Information Technology Act. Among those charge sheeted are head masters and teachers of government schools.

The statements of 10 witnesses have also been recorded by Judicial Magistrate under the provision of section 164 Cr.P.C.

The CID has submitted the charge sheet in 86 days from the date of first arrest in the case in 2020. It has been filed within the stipulated period time while all the 32 arrested accused persons are still in jail (judicial custody).

In 2020, the CID had registered a case on the basis of a written FIR lodged on August 28 in the same year by Mahmood Hassan, Director, Assam Minorities Development Board and State Nodal Officer, Pre-Matric Scholarship for Minorities, Assam.

Altogether 32 persons including four headmasters, two each of EDPs (Electronic Data Processors), Assistant Teachers, and presidents of SMCs (School Management Committee), eight owners of CSPs (customer Service Points) of Banks and 14 middlemen were arrested in connection with the case.

Besides a large number of incriminating documents from different districts, the CID also made seizures including 14 laptops, 13 mobile phones, and two hard disks, besides a CPU, a DVR and a finger-print scanner during the course of investigation of the case.

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