MS Nazki
Early Times Report
Mendhar, Nov 24: A major scholarship scam has allegedly surfaced in Zonal Education Office Balakote after police took cognizance of the complaint against the alleged involvement of some former ZEOs and officials in the Education Department.
Sources told Early Times that the scholarship meant for Pahari students was not distributed by the ZEO Balakote to the beneficiates from 2007-2013. "During the tenure of Mohammad Ahmad Khan as incharge ZEPO/ZEO from 2013-2014 no scholarship was given to students," they alleged, adding that after the retirement of Mohammad Khan, Abdul Shakoor Chourdhary took charge of ZEPO/ ZEO Balakote.
Alleged violating the norms of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyal (SSA), Abdul Shakoor Chouhdary purchased school uniform worth Rs 19 lakhs from M/S Rajesh Trader from Jammu without inviting tenders. Moreover, the material of the uniform was also found substandard which clearly points to the embezzlement of funds, sources alleged.
The matter came to fore when the SDPO Mendhar took action on a complaint. A letter bearing No SDPO/CLT/15/5000/28/10/2015 was shot to new ZEO Balakote Abdul Rashid for providing them records for ascertaining the facts in the complaints.
Shockingly, despite the fact that new ZEO Balakote Abdul Rashid has taken over the charge, Abdul Shakoor Choudhary who was earlier inchrage ZEO, allegedly impersonated as ZEO and visited schools in the area and asked for records and intimidated the teachers who declined to oblige him. New ZEO Abdul Rashid, when contacted said, he has received the letter from SDPO but most of the record which has been sought by the police is not available in the office as the former incumbent officers have kept them in their custody. He said that he is fully committed to cooperate with police to bring the alleged embezzlement before public. |
