Himachal Pradesh HC Grants Bail To Arvind Rajta In Rs 200 Crore Scholarship 'Scam' Case

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has granted bail to Arvind Rajta, an accused in the multi-crore scholarship 'scam' case, who was in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The order was passed by Justice Virender Singh on Monday, while hearing the bail petition filed by Rajta.

Arvind Rajta, an employee of the Himachal Pradesh Education Department, is accused in a scholarship scam involving over Rs 200 crore. The case relates to alleged irregularities in the distribution of scholarship funds meant for students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the scam, estimated to be around Rs 250 crore. Rajta was arrested by the ED on August 30, 2023, under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The High Court observed that keeping the petitioner in custody for an indefinite period, especially when the trial is likely to take time, would not be justified. In view of this, the court allowed the bail application.

According to the ED, the scam involved officials from the higher Education Department, private educational institutions, and banks. It is alleged that scholarship funds were wrongly claimed and misused, leading to the embezzlement of over Rs 200 crore. The ED claimed that 22 private educational institutions were involved in the scam.

The ED alleged that Arvind Rajta played a key role in the case. The agency said that Rajta was working as an assistant in the scholarship branch of the Directorate of Higher Education in Shimla. He was responsible for verifying scholarship claims under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC, ST, and OBC students. The ED claimed that he illegally withheld and diverted scholarship money meant for eligible students.

Opposing the bail plea, the ED told the court that the investigation is still ongoing. It said that further investigation is needed to trace the proceeds of crime and identify the flow of illegal funds. The ED also referred to the charge sheet filed by the CBI and claimed that Rajta was the mastermind behind the scam.

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