HC seeks status of ETT scam

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 20:  The High Court today directed the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police to complete the investigation of the ETT scam and submit the status investigation before the Court on next date.
Taking serious note on keeping the investigation on hold after 2012 session, the Division Bench of Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and Justice M K Hanjura directed the Crime Branch, who as per the State Counsel has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to bring out all the irregularities and embezzlement in ETT colleges across the State and close all those institutions which are operating illegally or in  contraventions of law, directed the CB to produce the process of  investigation from session 2012 to 2017 before the court on next date.
Court has taken serious note on lackadiasical approach on part of authorities for holding the investigation on shelve for remaining sessions. State counsel submitted before the Court that since huge number of such colleges are across the State which are running illegally as such CB is investigating the matter yearly and yearly progress of investigation may be permitted by the Court.
Court, however, rejected these submissions made by the Counsel and directed him to submit the report with regard to investigation of all sessions from 2012 to 2017. Court asked the State Counsel, when authorities are at the helm of affairs, then why not immediate action is being taken by the authorities to which the State Counsel replied that various high ranking officials including former Chairman of BOSE was involved in the scam as such the action could not be taken against these colleges.
“It seems that officials are hand in glove with the erring institutions and have failed in controlling the illegal practice of these institutions”.  During the proceedings of the case counsel appearing on behalf of one of the colleges submitted before the court that since most of the colleges have been found to be operating illegally from Jammu Division as such the matter may be transferred to Jammu wing of the High Court.
State Counsel vehemently opposed this submission made by the counsel and submitted before the court that it is on court directions the FIRs have been registered in both divisions (Kashmir as well as Jammu) of the State and the FIR which is pending in CB Srinagar is still under investigation.
Court previously directed for closure of those ETT colleges which have been found operating illegally and in this connection Divisional Commissioner Jammu was directed to comply with the directions.
Court has been informed that the authorities are allowing the promoters of these ETTs to run these institutions in deviation of the guidelines of National Council for Teachers Education and J&K Education Act 2002.
“…So far as framing of rules is concerned, State counsel submitted that the amendment in J&K Education Act is pending with Law Department. The same should not be delayed. Status report in this regard be filed by next date”, Justice Lingam and Justice Hanjura directed.
When Court asked the state counsel as to what action has been taken and how many institutions have been found operating illegally, State counsel informed the court that for the sessions 2003-2005, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-11 after completing investigation 5, 7, 10, 5, 7 and 12 such institutions have been closed down respectively and investigation for the session 2012 is under progress.
Crime Branch Jammu has already filed the charge-sheets for the sessions 2003-20005, 2004-20006, 2005-20007 & 2006-2008 in FIR 36/2013 u/s 420(cheating) 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471(using a forged document), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) RPC read with section 5(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act 2006 before the Special Judge of Anti-corruption Jammu under four challans.
It may be mentioned here that the investigation was carried out in the scam by Crime Branch Kashmir as well as by Crime Branch Jammu in connection with  two FIRs registered one at CB Jammu and one at CB Kashmir and Court is monitoring the investigation in which till date various revelations has come before the Court about the bungling and irregularities in ETT Colleges throughout the state.
In one of the reports, it is alleged that the candidates were lured and amounts, ranging from Rs 45,000 to Rs 80,000 were extracted from each one of them through touts for providing them degrees and certificates by these ETT colleges.
Enquiry report further alleged that these institutions were allowed and permitted to run the courses without issuance of NOC from the State Government, which is granted after inspection of these colleges.
As Court has already held that insatiable human greed has caused immense damage to our educational system as such the whole country will become nation of block heads, thus making its future dark.
Another report filed before the court also revealed that a mafia in league with BOSE authorities is involved in this huge scandal and almost 480 colleges are operating in the entire state out of which 80 are in Kashmir Division and 320 colleges are in Jammu Division and two FIR have been registered with regard to ETT scam as one in Kashmir and another in Jammu Division.
In one of the communication sent by Chairman BOSE to IGP Crime because of the enquiry report of Joint Secretary BOSE and offence u/s 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) has been added to the FIRs, which would mean that a conspiracy was allegedly hatched by the BOSE authorities with the owners of ETT institutes resulting into registering of FIR at Crime Branch Srinagar as well as Crime Branch Jammu.
Subsequently various college owners and some board officials have been held guilty during the investigation conducted by Crime Branch and action as per law has been initiated against them and outcome of action taken is being submitted to the court from time to time.

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