Himachal scholarship scam: CBI files chargesheet against four

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against all four accused who had been arrested in the scholarship scam in Himachal Pradesh.

Vishal Deep, assistant director with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Shimla, CBI deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Balbir Singh and Vishal’s two relatives Vikas Deep and Niraj were all arrested in this.

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The bribery allegations first surfaced on December 22, 2024, when the CBI’s Chandigarh unit registered two FIRs based on complaints lodged by Bhupinder Kumar Sharma, chairman of Dev Bhumi Group of Institutions, Una, and Rajneesh Bansal, chairman of Himalayan Group of Professional Institutions, Sirmaur.

Both accused Vishal Deep and other ED officials of “demanding bribes for not arresting them” in connection with cases registered against their institutions by ED.

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On January 10, Panchkula police arrested Vishal Deep for allegedly blackmailing and extorting money from a businessman. The arrest followed a complaint filed by Vishal Bansal, brother of Rajneesh Bansal, alleging threats to his family.

CBI arrested its own DSP Balbir Singh who they said acted as a mediator between complainant Bhupinder Sharma and Vishal Deep. The alleged meeting occurred at Hotel Lalit on December 14, 2024, where the bribe amount was negotiated at ₹55 lakh. Further, the CBI claimed that Singh facilitated the delivery of the bribe on December 22.

The CBI claimed that there are incriminating recordings of the DSP’s telephonic conversation with the complainant just prior to the delivery of the bribe money.