The Social Justice and Special Assessment department of state has registered a case against Vashi based college for cheating 762 scheduled class students by levying development fee from them between 2015 to 2021.
In an investigation conducted by the social Justice and Special Assessment department, Vashi based Junior college is found to have collected development fees from students belonging to scheduled caste. Following the findings, a complaint was registered with the Vashi police under section 420 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The initial complaint was made by the Ambedkar Student Association around three years back with the Ministry of Social Justice. The association had complained about the college levying development fees from 762 students belonging to schedule caste to the state’s department.
As per the complaint registered, the college is alleged to have amassed a sum of 5.20 lakhs during the academic year 2015 -2021. As per the constitutional provision granted to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students, such fees are not to be levied from them.
Three years back, some of the students from the college based out of sector 9 A in Vashi had approached Ambedkar Student Association and provided the fee receipts that were levied from them. The office bearers of the organization then obtained information through the Right to Information Act, and they found that the college had in total levied Rs 5.20lakh from students belonging to SC ST community, in six years.
The Association then lodged a complaint with the Thane Assistant Social Welfare Officer demanding action against the college. Accordingly, when the Social Welfare Department investigated, they found the allegations to be correct and Thane Assistant Commissioner Ganesh Pawar from social Justice and Special Assessment department gave a written complaint to Vashi police following the case was registered on June 20 against the Principal of the college.
“We have registered the case and are investigating it further,” said a police officer from Vashi police station.