The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) registered a case on Wednesday against five officials, including a former director, along with several private individuals, for their alleged involvement in misappropriating funds under the post-matric scholarship scheme for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in Jammu Kashmir.
The FIR, filed under the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, names the then director of tribal affairs, Mohammad Sharief Choudhary, former assistant director Muzaffar Wani, junior assistant Gulzar Hussain, in-charge computer assistant Javed Ahmed, and head assistant Shaheen Naqishbandi.
Several private individuals associated with educational institutions in the Rajouri and Poonch districts are also implicated, according to an ACB spokesperson.
The investigation uncovered that funds intended for scholarships under the Government of India’s Post-Matric scheme—providing financial assistance of ₹18,000 per student, plus ₹2,300 as a maintenance allowance—were misused between 2014 and 2018.
Around ₹1.66 crore was disbursed to unrecognized institutions offering unapproved courses.
The ACB revealed that several institutions received substantial funds without proper accreditation, failed to conduct examinations through the authorized bodies, and issued certificates with little or no value.
By disregarding the scheme’s guidelines, these officials and institute owners are accused of conspiring to embezzle ₹1.66 crore.