Alleged misappropriation of SC/ST student funds: HC directs TN

The Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Secretary to appear before it and assist in the hearing of a PIL alleging misappropriation of funds allotted for education of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students by officials.

Passing interim orders, a bench of Justices M Sathyanarayanan and N Seshasayee directed the Secretary to appear before it on October 21 with all relevant documents.

According to petitioner K Karthikeyan, an advocate, government auditors had last year found misappropriation of public funds to the tune of Rs 17.36 crore during scrutiny of the expenditure incurred on the schemes for education of SC/ST students.

Besides, officials in charge of distribution of funds allegedly swindled Rs.4.34 crore under the head of payment of fees to SC/ST students under management quota whereas they had been admitted under the government quota seats.

It was also further found by the auditors that Rs.1.78 crores was misappropriated in the lapsed seats category, the petitioner claimed.

The petitioner submitted he had already sent a representation along with the copy of the audit report to the officials, including the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti corruption, in September last year.

The DVAC had within a week referred the representation to the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department, but no action had been taken against culprits who swindled public money, he added.