Editor
Investigations Continue: Authorities to Probe Remaining Suspects in SCERT Scam
GUWAHATI: In a significant development, the Assam police has filed a "comprehensive" charge sheet against a Rajasthan cadre IAS officer, Sewali Devi Sharma, and 20 others, accusing them of misappropriating education-related funds in a ₹105-crore scam at the State Council of Educational Research Training (SCERT) in Assam.
The 1,433-page charge sheet, submitted before a special court, outlines the alleged involvement of Sewali Devi Sharma, a 1992-batch IAS officer and former executing chairperson and director of SCERT, along with the other 20 individuals implicated in the scam. Notably, all 21 accused have already been arrested.
Among those arrested, five are government servants, including L.N. Sonowal, Jaychandra Lahkar, Sonmoni Nath, Ramezuddin Ahmed, and Rubul Ali. Additionally, five others involved in the scam are contractors, with Ajit Pal Singh being identified as the IAS officer's son-in-law.
Furthermore, the charge sheet includes eight RTI activists and two journalists among the arrested individuals. The diligent efforts of the Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell led to the filing of the charge sheet within a remarkably short span of 87 days since the case was taken up.
However, investigations are far from over, as the authorities will continue their probe against the remaining suspects yet to be arrested. The special court has also granted permission for a departmental inquiry into the roles played by the six government employees allegedly involved in the SCERT scam.
During her tenure as the head of SCERT from 2017 to 2020, IAS officer Sewali Devi Sharma allegedly executed the scam by opening five unauthorized bank accounts without the Assam government's consent. Investigators have accused her of orchestrating the embezzlement of ₹105 crore without providing any work orders to justify the transactions.
As the case unfolds, the allegations have sent ripples through Assam's administrative circles and raised concerns about the mismanagement of public funds earmarked for educational initiatives. The charges against an IAS officer have also drawn attention to the need for stricter oversight and accountability within government institutions.
The legal proceedings are expected to shed more light on the extent of the scam and the involvement of each accused individual. The outcome of the case will be closely monitored, as it carries significant implications for the fight against corruption and the protection of public resources in the state of Assam.