The principal of a Basic Education department school in Firozabad has been booked for allegedly siphoning off Rs 11.46 crore from the mid-day meal scheme, police said.
The principal used fake documents to register a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and siphoned Rs 11.46 crore from the mid-day meal scheme with the help of officials and staff of his department and banks, the Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) at Agra, Alok Sharma, said on Tuesday.
"A case of corruption has been registered against the teacher of the Basic Education department of Firozabad district, Chandrakant Sharma. He is a resident of Shikohabad in Firozabad district. He is working as a principal at a primary school in Jajupur in Tundla in Firozabad district," SP (Vigilance) Alok Sharma, said.
He said the principal was booked on July 27 along with a few other employees of the Basic Education Department and banks at the Vigilance police station in Agra.
According to investigating officer Amar Singh, along with Chandrakant, many other departments were also involved in this scam. Many banks, the Education Department, mid-day meal coordinator, post office, Agra Housing Development Council, Firozabad Municipal Corporation, deputy registrar Chit Fund Registration and Toronto Power were also involved in this fraud.
Chandrakant Sharma swindled the money through 'Saraswat Awasiya Shiksha Sewa Samiti', an NGO registered in Shikohabad in Firozabad.
"The non-governmental organisation was registered in 2007 at the office of the deputy registrar of Firms, Societies and Chits in Agra. He used fake ration cards and identity cards to register the NGO," Sharma said.
According to the FIR, the school principal had made his father the president of the NGO, his mother the manager and secretary, and his wife the treasurer. He also gave positions to other family members and relatives in the NGO. Later, he declared the death of some members of the NGO, including his mother, police said.
However, the mother of the teacher is alive, the FIR states.
After declaring his mother or the then manager and secretary, dead, Chandrakant Sharma made his wife Baby Sharma the manager and secretary of the NGO and himself took the responsibility of treasurer of the Saraswat Awasiya Shiksha Sewa Samiti using a fake name, Sunil Sharma.
The FIR said that the principal, who is presently living in Awas Vikas Colony in Agra, had taken a contract for the distribution of mid-day meals in Basic Education Department schools of Firozabad. He had withdrawn an amount of Rs 11,46,48,500 from the bank account of his NGO with the help of the officials and staff and transferred that amount into the bank accounts of his wife and children in Agra banks.
Basic Shiksha Adhikari at Firozabad, Anjali Agrawal, said the department had yet to get a copy of the FIR.
"The Vigilance department of Agra has not informed us about the case registered. When we get a copy of the FIR, we will act accordingly as per the instructions of the senior officials," she said.
District Magistrate of Firozabad, Ravi Ranjan, said, "This matter has come to my notice through the media. Necessary legal action will be taken in a fair manner."
It may be mentioned that Chandrakant Sharma has already gone to jail earlier. Sharma claimed that a corruption case was registered against him in Firozabad district in the year 2014 as well but he was acquitted.