The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is intensifying its search for an Assistant Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) accused of extorting ₹25 crore from private educational institutions implicated in Himachal Pradesh’s ₹181-crore scholarship scam. The accused officer, Vishal Deep Singh, is alleged to have demanded the bribe in exchange for avoiding arrests in the ongoing investigation.
Educational institution operators have accused Singh and his associates of coercion and harassment during the investigation into the scam. They allege that fake arrest warrants were issued, and they were summoned to the ED office repeatedly, where they were subjected to prolonged questioning and mental torture.
Speaking at a press conference in Shimla, Rajneesh Bansal, Chairman of Devbhoomi Himalaya Group, revealed that the harassment led to extreme distress, with one individual even contemplating suicide. Another institution operator, Sanjeev Prabhakar, claimed that his family suffered immensely due to the pressure, with his mother passing away from shock and his brother falling into a coma.
The Scholarship Scam
In 2019, the ED began investigating the scholarship scam, which involved private educational institutions fraudulently claiming government funds meant for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Other Backward Class (OBC) students. Allegations later emerged that Singh, along with his brother and a cousin, demanded ₹25 crore from 29 private educational institutions to drop charges.
The educational operators filed a complaint with the CBI, which led to a trap operation. While Singh remains at large, his brother and cousin have been arrested and are currently in judicial custody.
The scholarship scam involved private institutions siphoning off funds intended for underprivileged students. Investigators found that fake bank accounts were opened in students’ names to divert funds. The ED has already attached properties worth over ₹10 crore and frozen deposits in 14 bank accounts linked to the accused institutions.
The central scholarship scheme was designed to assist SC, ST, and OBC students, but its implementation was marred by significant lapses, including a flawed online portal and inadequate oversight.
The CBI has registered two FIRs in the bribery case and is conducting searches to locate Singh. Investigations have revealed over ₹1 crore in cash linked to the bribe, further implicating the accused. Meanwhile, the ED has transferred Singh and his supervisory officers back to Delhi.
