Probe team blows the lid off massive graft

KOCHI: The special investigation team appointed by the Dakshina Bharath Hindi Prachar Sabha (DBHPS) has disclosed massive corruption in the functioning of sabha’s Kerala unit. The investigation carried out by R Jayakaran, R Rajavel and T V Kattimani, higher officials of DBHPS has found as many as 14 cases of irregularities.The investigation report obtained by ‘Express’ reveals the corruption in the appointment of teachers, salary given to the pracharaks and purchase of computers and other equipment.According to the report, a teacher Aryadevi, who had a service of sixteen years, was terminated without any proper reason on May 10 this year and reinstated on July 27. She has submitted before the inquiry team that she has been humiliated by office-bearers of DBHPS on many occassions. Another teacher Bindhu T R who has 19 years of service and has the qualification of MA, and BEd in English used to teach Physics in the sabha-run school.At the same time another teacher who was appointed to teach English had no proper qualification. The team also found that promotions to the post of teachers were not given as per the seniority but by influencing the office- bearers. It is reported that new teachers have given donation in lakhs but no receipt has been given to them. The investigation further reveals that pracharks are given half the salary of what they sign in the receipt.Premkumari of Vippura had signed a receipt for  Rs 9000 but received a check for Rs 3725. T V Balakrishnan signed a receipt of Rs 9000 but he was given a check for Rs 5450.  Similarly many of the teachers have signed receipts every month but  salaries were not paid to them for more than a year.In another case of fraud Rs 1,65,000 had been collected from the students as computer fund at the BEd College in Neeleshwaram. When the investigation team interrogated authorities, they submitted that money was collected as per the direction of M S Muralidharan and Biju C Vallavanadan. There were no vouchers and bills for the purchase of computers instead hand-written statements were given which were not approved by any of the competitive authorities.