The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) arrested Rajendra Prasad, former principal of Madrasa Abdul Hameed Islamia Education, Arjunpur, and his wife Sudha Sharma, the institution’s former manager, on Friday in connection with a massive Rs24.9 crore scholarship scam dating back to 2011-13.
The couple was apprehended from their native village Toli in the Sikandrarao area, officials confirmed.
The scam involved the embezzlement of pre-matric scholarships intended for minority students in Hathras district during the academic years 2011-12 and 2012-13. An official inquiry revealed that 62 educational institutions, including madrasas, colluded with the then minority welfare officer and others to siphon off Rs24,92,76,312 by submitting false lists of fictitious students.
Investigations identified 81 accused, comprising three public servants and 78 private individuals. Charge sheets have been filed against 46 of them so far.
The EOW disclosed that Rajendra Prasad and Sudha Sharma were specifically responsible for misappropriating Rs38.10 lakh by creating fake student records. Authorities are currently pursuing 32 other absconding accused.
Additional Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Singh stated, “The EOW team arrived in Hathras today. Rajendra Prasad and his wife Sudha Sharma have been arrested and will be produced before the court.”
The arrests were part of the EOW’s state-wide crackdown named “Operation Shikanja”, launched under the directives of the Uttar Pradesh Director General of EOW.
