ED raids ex-IAS officer, others in ₹105 crore SCERT 'fraud' case in Assam
At least eight premises connected with Sharma, a former executive chairman-cum-director of the SCERT, and some of her alleged associates were raided under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.
Also Read | ED conducts raids at premises linked to jailed Bihar cadre IAS officer Sanjeev Hans
The money laundering case stems from a May 2023 FIR filed by the State police on the directions of the Assam CM's Special Vigilance Cell. She was arrested by the State police from Rajasthan a few days after filing of the complaint.
Sharma was subsequently chargesheeted by police for alleged possession of disproportionate assets worth Rs 5.7 crore, according to the sources.
The 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer hailed from the Rajasthan cadre and was on deputation to Assam when alleged irregularities worth Rs 105 crore took place during her tenure in the SCERT between 2017 and 2020.
Reports said she obtained bail in this case from the Supreme Court in March.
The former bureaucrat could not be contacted immediately for a comment on the ED action.
Sharma, according to sources, served as the Executive Chairman-cum-Director of Open and Distance Learning Cell (ODL) of the SCERT and was responsible for the implementation of the National Council for Teacher Education's (NCTE) two-year Diploma in Elementary Education programme.
The state government had approved the creation of 59 institutions and the training of 27,897 teachers.
However, in comparison, the ex-IAS officer is alleged to have opened 347 study centres and enrolled 1,06,828 trainees to "collect more funds."
Sharma, the sources claimed, opened five bank accounts for the ODL Cell, where she was the "sole signatory" and this was in "violation" of government rules.
Of the ₹115 crore she received in fees from individuals, she allegedly spent more than Rs 105 crore without obtaining financial sanction from the state government, the sources alleged.
The expenditure was incurred for supplies and execution of works without following the rules and procedures and payments were released without complete supply of materials, and no work was done, they claimed.
These contracts, as per ED's probe, were given to entities "owned or controlled" by associates or family members (son-in-law, daughter) of Sharma as well as to a chartered accountant named Sarang More, who was the auditor of the ODL Cell.
The contracts were awarded "without" advertisements or invitations for tenders, as stipulated by the government for each procurement of above ₹5 lakh, sources alleged.
Except for two parties, none had any experience in executing work orders awarded to them and payments were made "without" the required receipts or verification of actual supply, the ED claimed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
a minute ago
- Indian Express
Tewari raises railway station work, govt says no fixed timeline can be given for completion
The long-promised redevelopment of the Chandigarh Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station (ABS) Scheme remains mired in delays and uncertainty, with the Ministry of Railways admitting in Parliament that no fixed timeline can be provided for its completion. This comes in a response, given to a question raised by MP Manish Tewari in the Lok Sabha on August 6. Speaking on the matter, Chandigarh MP Tewari expressed his disappointment, stating, 'It is unfortunate that rather than recognising the utter chaos, anarchy and mayhem that prevails at the railway station, the ministry's response avoids accountability. The answer gives no timeline for when the renovation will finally be over and fails to offer any solution to the persistent parking mess. In all, the reply betrays the total inefficiency of the Railway Ministry.' Meanwhile, in its written reply, the ministry confirmed that Chandigarh Railway Station is being redeveloped under the ABS scheme with a sanctioned cost of Rs 436.29 crore. While structural works on the Panchkula and Chandigarh sides have been completed — including platform upgradation, foot overbridges, parking areas, and new building finishes — the ministry admitted that no definite completion date can be given due to numerous on-ground challenges. These include statutory clearances (fire, heritage, airport), shifting of utilities (water, sewage, power, optical fibre), ongoing train operations, and speed restrictions due to nearby high-voltage lines. All these factors, the ministry claimed, are affecting progress, and thus no timeline can be committed at this stage. The station's inclusion in the national ABS scheme is part of a broader plan to modernise 1,337 stations across the country, out of which work at 105 has already been completed. However, work at Chandigarh railway station is still not complete. The ministry stated that routine inspections are being conducted and cleanliness is being maintained, but passengers and local residents continue to face overcrowding and inadequate amenities. Chandigarh falls under Northern Railway, which has been allocated Rs 2,216 crore under Plan Head-53 for customer amenities for the financial year 2025–26, mentioned the ministry in its response to Tewari's question.
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
Disclose solar power price supplied to other states, HC tells SECI
Vijayawada: The high court on Wednesday directed Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to disclose the price of solar power at which it was supplying to other states, at the time it entered into an agreement to supply power to Andhra Pradesh at Rs 2.49 per unit. The court also directed to place the orders of Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) approving the unit price quoted by SECI. CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna and then TDP MLA and present finance minister Payyavula Keshav filed separate PILs in the high court challenging the agreement made by the then YSRCP govt with SECI for supply of 7,000 MW of solar power at Rs 2.49 per unit. The counsel for the petitioner argued that SECI made an agreement to supply solar power at Rs 2.49 per unit with AP, but the same SECI made an agreement with Gujarat govt for supply of solar power at Rs 1.99 per unit. The counsel further said that the power purchase price should be derived through tender route according to the Electricity Act but it was not followed while entering into an agreement with SECI. Arguing on behalf of the state govt, advocate general Dammalapati Srinivas said the high court has allowed APERC to decide the unit price and it has approved the price quoted by SECI. The petitioners can challenge the decision of APERC if they have any grievances on the same. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like For all your EV needs ScottishPower Learn More Undo The counsel for SECI submitted that the per unit price of solar power used to be anywhere between Rs 2.52 and Rs 2.61 at the time when it entered an agreement with AP. The unit price offered to AP was the lowest at that time when compared to other states, he stated. Considering the arguments, the high court bench headed by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati directed SECI to submit an affidavit with details of prices at which it had made agreements with other states at the time of entering into the agreement with AP.
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
4,000+ motorists speeding on Coastal Rd challaned this year
Mumbai: More than 4,000 motorists were challaned by Mumbai traffic police for speeding on the Coastal Road so far this year, with fines issued running up to Rs 82 lakh. Around 1,500 challans have been cleared and Rs 31 lakh in fines paid by offenders so far, the police said. Additionally, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) challaned another 596 motorists for crossing speed limits, including several high-end vehicles such as BMW, Mercedes and Audi. Next, the police plan to go after motorists driving in the bus lane as it hinders the removal of broken down vehicles during emergencies. Residents of south Mumbai have long complained about reckless driving and noise on Coastal Road. "The Coastal Road has become a racing track for fast cars because of the low volume of traffic on the stretch. Fast cars are modified to create loud noise. This is disturbing our peace," said Worli resident and businessman Viren Shah. He added on Sundays, racing enthusiasts gather at a set time, with over a dozen motorists participating. Mukul Mehra, secretary of Nepean Sea Road Citizens Forum, said dangerous driving is witnessed regularly. "Incidents include motorists cutting across three lanes of traffic, at times, in sports cars. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kate Middleton's Daring Outfit Took Prince William's Breath Away Crowdy Fan Undo The Forum has shared video evidence with the police to substantiate our claims," he said. "There could be a major collision where these fast cars could be a cause, even if not directly involved in the crash," said Mehra. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Prompted by such complaints, the RTO set up an interceptor vehicle on the Coastal Road. The vehicle captures speed and generates challans. Traffic police also set up a similar interceptor vehicle earlier this year. "On the south-bound arm of the Coastal Road at Worli and on the north-bound arm near the tunnel, electronic displays have also been put up that show the speed of vehicles passing in the lane beneath. Seven speed cameras are being set up for automatic generation of challans," said a police official. Of the total 596 challans issued by the transport department, Tardeo RTO generated 306 and Wadala RTO 290. Four squads have been positioned near crucial entry and exit points to monitor violations. Mehra argued that owners of high-end vehicles spend around Rs 1,500 just on fuel for travelling from Haji Ali to Marine Drive, raising doubts as to whether the fine of Rs 2,000 is deterrent enough. A Breach Candy resident said speeding during the day time appeared to be somewhat under control due to the interceptor vehicles. "But speedsters have figured out that early morning and late night could still work for racing, especially on weekends," she said. The Coastal Road accommodates a daily average of 18,000 to 20,000 vehicles.
