Lucknow: Five sentenced to three years’ jail in scholarship scam

LUCKNOW: The special judge for CBI cases (central), Lucknow, sentenced five individuals, including a senior Clerk from the office of the district inspector of schools (DIOS), Kanpur Nagar, to three years’ imprisonment with fines in two separate cases of scholarship misappropriation in Uttar Pradesh.In the first case, the court convicted Krishna Kumar, then senior clerk at the DIOS office, and Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, a private individual, for misappropriating Rs 9.38 lakh in scholarship funds during 1997-98 and 1998-99. The duo opened fictitious bank accounts in connivance with other officials and misused funds meant for scholarships.The CBI registered the case on Feb 18, 2002, following the directive of the Allahabad High Court. After completing investigation, a charge sheet was filed on Sep 20, 2004. The court imposed a total fine of Rs 60,000 on the two convicts.In the second case, four people — Manoj Kumar Dwivedi (also convicted in the first case), Vinod Kumar Mishra, Suleman, and Prem Singh — were found guilty of misappropriating Rs 6.44 lakh in 1999-2000. Funds were withdrawn in the name of nine non-existent colleges using fake bank accounts at Naubasta branch of the State Bank of India.Investigation revealed the involvement of the then manager of Johra Inter College and clerks from other colleges, who colluded with officials to siphon off the funds. The CBI filed a chargesheet on July 28, 2004. The court sentenced the four to three years in prison with a combined fine of Rs 1.2 lakh.