Principal of a government school was today suspended and a case was registered with anti-corruption branch (ACB) against him after Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia found huge irregularities in financial transactions of the institution during a surprise inspection.
The incident came into light after Sisodia, who also holds the Education portfolio, went on surprise visit to Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya at the President Estate in central Delhi.
"I have come for surprise inspection at Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya. A lot of irregularities are visible here," Sisodia tweeted today.
According to officials, during the inspection, it was found that fake bills were raised for providing practical training to students in the course of food production.
Officials, however, found that no laboratory existed in the school for training. Students told the minister that no practical training was ever imparted to them in this subject.
Students studying food production told the minister they had virtually never been given any relevant information about the subject.
During the scrutiny of bills, officials found that fake bills have been raised for showing purchases of non-vegetarian food items, olive oil, potatoes, rice etc.
"It was shocking to see that school had generated bills of shops located in far locations like Seemapuri, Trilokpuri, Jahangirpuri while the school situated in Central Delhi. There was no mention of the good purchased in the stock register and no TIN (Taxpayer Identification Numbers) were mentioned," he said.
Sisodia also wrote on Twitter that "a blank bill book has also been found in the cupboard of in the principal's room. Following the irregularities the principal is being suspended," Sisodia wrote on micro-blogging site.
Following the inspection, Sisodia suspended the principal and directed to refer the case to ACB for registration of an FIR against the principal and the teacher involved to investigate financial irregularity.
The minister was accompanied by senior education department officials during the inspection and the team has seized the record of the school.
The inspection further revealed that account books of the school showed salary payments to five sanitation workers, but during inspection, officials found that only one sanitation worker was on duty, which was also confirmed by teachers and students of the school.
Sanitation worker on duty told the minister that he was paid only half the amount, officials said. PTI SSH.
