Delhi school under EOW lens over alleged illegal transactions

Delhi Government has approached the Economic Offences Wing of police asking it to investigate the complaints of alleged illegal transactions of over Rs 50 crore with fake companies and individuals by two branches of Maxfort Schools in the national capital.
Following complaints of charging of donation and increased fee from parents and withholding of results of the students over non-payment, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has also directed the Pitampura and Rohini branches of the school to refund the amount and release the result.
"It is alleged that Maxfort Schools are indulged in illegal transaction of huge sums of money to fake companies and individuals; illegal transfer of funds from collection accounts of schools to different trusts/societies, estimated amount of which is over Rs 50 crore till date," DoE said in a letter to principals of the two schools.

The other allegations include misappropriation of cash, making payments from school payment accounts to vendors for the services/materials and also collecting the same amount from parents in cash.
"The matter has been referred to Economic Offence Wing of Delhi Police to register a case and take necessary action in the matter under intimation to the directorate.
"The schools are meanwhile directed to refund the donations or capitation fee charged from the parents while admitting their ward; not to demand any arrears from the parents and to declare the results of various classes at predetermined dates unconditionally without insisting to pay the hiked fee," the letter further read.

Repeated phone calls and emails to the two branches of the school for their reaction on the issue went unanswered.

The complaints were raised by the Maxfort School Parents Association in two separate representations sent to the Chief Minister's office.
"The matter was examined and it is observed that Maxfort Schools, Rohini and Pitampura, Delhi have not refunded the amount collected from the parents as donation/capitation fee.
"Further, it is held that on the alleged non-payment of hiked fee by the parents, the Maxfort schools have struck off the names of the students and withheld the issuance of admit cards to the students appearing for the Board examinations. On the intervention of the department, the school has readmitted, the students and issued admit cards to the students concerned," the letter sent by DoE to the school management read.