CBI initiates departmental probe against own DSP in Rs 181 crore scholarship scam

(Thumbnail: Accused of colluding with private institutions in scam)
Shimla/Chandigarh: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated a departmental inquiry against its own DSP Balbir Singh, a former investigating officer in the Rs 181 crore Himachal Pradesh scholarship scam, following allegations of bribery.

Balbir Singh, who was arrested earlier in the bribery case, is now facing an internal probe over allegations of collusion with private educational institutions implicated in the scam.

DSP Balbir Singh had been leading the CBI’s investigation into the multi-crore scholarship scam. However, during the course of the probe, allegations surfaced that he was protecting certain institutions in exchange for bribes.

This led to his arrest by the CBI’s Chandigarh unit in a separate corruption case related to bribery demands. Now, the CBI has launched a formal internal inquiry to examine Balbir’s actions during his tenure in the Shimla branch.

Officials are scrutinising all the cases he handled, particularly his role in the scholarship scam investigation.

Himachal scholarship scam came to light in 2019

The Himachal Pradesh scholarship scam, which came to light in 2019, involved the fraudulent misappropriation of scholarship funds meant for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Class (OBC) students.

Private educational institutions falsely claimed scholarships for non-existent or unenrolled students, siphoning off crores of rupees.

The Himachal Pradesh government handed over the investigation to the CBI, which registered multiple FIRs against government officials, bank employees and private institutions. So far, over 20 institutions and more than 100 individuals have been named in chargesheets.

Enforcement Directorate officials under scrutiny too

Apart from the CBI probe, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been investigating money laundering linked to the scam.

However, the ED’s credibility has also been questioned after its Shimla-based Assistant Director, Vishal Deep, was accused of extorting money from institutions under investigation. The CBI arrested Deep after a sting operation recovered Rs 55 lakh in cash, allegedly part of a bribe deal.

CBI and ED’s credibility at stake

With high-ranking officials from both agencies under the scanner, the scandal has raised serious concerns about corruption within investigative bodies. The CBI’s internal inquiry into DSP Balbir Singh is expected to reveal whether he acted independently or was part of a larger nexus.

The authorities are now under pressure to ensure that the investigation remains fair and transparent. The focus remains on recovering the misappropriated scholarship funds and ensuring justice for thousands of students who were deprived of their rightful financial aid.

Sunil Chadda