The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up for investigating the multi-crore SC/ST scholarship scam has arrested Manvendra Swarup, joint secretary of Academy of Management Studies (AMS) University at Nanda Ki Chowki in Dehradun. The accused is also the joint secretary of Swami Dayanand Educational Trust.
The trust funds all DAV schools and colleges across the country among other educational institutions. The AMS University in question has also been funded by the same trust. The accused has been booked under the section 420, 409 and 120 b of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
According to the information provided by SIT, during the investigation it was found that AMS University had embezzled Rs 4,31,99,000. Several discrepancies were found upon investigating and verifying the documents, bank details, information provided by university of enrollment and results, and on the basis of statements given by the students.
The university had taken scholarship fund under pretext of giving admission to large number of students, but upon verifying it was found that majority of the students were either not enrolled in the university or were not qualified. Many students who failed in the first year were shown to be studying in the second year and scholarship fund was taken under their names.
The verification process of the students revealed that some agents of the university went to their villages and asked them to sign some documents. Majority of the students never went to the university and the others who did, left after some time.
The students had no knowledge about any scholarship fund. It was also found that the majority of the students shown studying in AMS University were in fact studying in some other college or were pursuing some other course.
Soon after gathering this evidence, SIT filed for a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) for the joint secretary of AMS University.
He was then called in SIT office for some questioning after which he was arrested on Wednesday. The accused was presented in the court from where he has been sent to jail under judicial custody.