Bhubaneswar: Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhubaneswar Thursday arrested Prakash Chandra Rath, a retired under secretary to Odisha government in connection with a scholarship scam.
The accused retired officer was arrested from his residence at Balianta near Bhubaneswar, EOW sources said.
In a press notification, EOW said that a case had been lodged on basis of a letter received from the State Government’s Department of Higher Education regarding financial mismanagement and irregularities in payment of E-Medhabruti (Scholarship) in the year 2014-15.
With a large number of non-bonafide and ineligible students getting the scholarship, the alleged scam had led to a loss of several lakh of rupees to the government exchequer, EOW informed.
During the course of investigation, EOW ascertained that Rath, who was then working as an under secretary in Higher Education Department had sanctioned scholarships to the tune of Rs 36.10 lakh in favour of 235 non-bonafide and non-eligible students in cahoots with others, violating existing norms.
Rath was produced in the court of SDJM Bhubaneswar Thursday. A detailed investigation is underway, EOW sources said.
PNN