The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bhopal, has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth ?10.77 crore in connection with the Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV) scam under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The action has been taken against Sunil Kumar, the then Vice-Chancellor, Rakesh Singh Rajput, the then Registrar, Hrishikesh Verma, the then Finance Controller, and other individuals, including former bank officials and private persons, for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of university funds.
The ED’s investigation revealed a massive financial misappropriation involving senior officials of RGPV in collusion with bank officials and private individuals. According to sources, the accused are alleged to have embezzled substantial amounts of university funds through fraudulent transactions and financial irregularities, leading to a significant loss for the state-run technical university.
The provisional attachment includes both movable and immovable properties belonging to the key accused. The ED’s action is part of a broader probe into money laundering activities linked to the misuse of public funds meant for the university’s operations and development.
The investigation has identified several key accused in the case, including Sunil Kumar, who served as the Vice-Chancellor during the period of the alleged misappropriation, Rakesh Singh Rajput, the Registrar, Hrishikesh Verma, the Finance Controller, and other individuals, including Kumar Mayank and Ramkumar Raghuvanshi, a former bank official. Other private persons are also under scrutiny for their alleged roles in facilitating the financial irregularities.
According to officials, the accused reportedly colluded to divert university funds through fraudulent documentation and illegal financial practices.
The investigation uncovered that university officials, with the help of bank insiders, facilitated unauthorized withdrawals and diverted funds for personal gains. The attached assets, which include real estate properties, bank deposits, and luxury items, are believed to be proceeds of crime derived from the embezzlement.
The ED is continuing its probe to identify other beneficiaries and trace additional assets linked to the financial misappropriation. Officials have stated that the provisional attachment is a preliminary step, and further actions, including seizure and prosecution, will follow based on the findings of the investigation.
This case is one of the largest financial scandals in a state university in recent years, raising concerns about financial governance and accountability in public institutions. The ED’s crackdown reflects the government’s commitment to tackling financial crimes and safeguarding public resources. Further developments in the case are expected as the investigation progresses.
