SC development fund scam: Court awards imprisonment and fine to five including IAS officer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance court here awarded imprisonment and fine to those who defrauded the development fund of scheduled caste students. Action has been taken against five persons including an IAS officer.

The court sentenced the convicts to two years in prison and imposed a fine of five lakhs. The court convicted former SC director AJ Rajan, former SC finance officer N Sreekumar, former deputy director Sathyadevan, former development officer C Surendran and computer firm owner Sukumaran.

The scam took place in a scheme launched jointly by the central government and the state government to provide employment opportunities to Scheduled Caste students. During the year 2002-2003, the government sanctioned funds for computer studies to the students. The officials paid money to an unregistered computer firm in Varkala to provide vocational training to the children.

Vigilance investigation found that the students who studied in this institution did not even get certificates and the money given by the government was diverted. The court convicted the accused on the basis of the inquiry report that the officials had selected this institution in a criminal conspiracy.