The crime branch of Delhi police arrested former director and deputy director (finance) of Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT) in connection with the 'scholarship scam' on Saturday. Police said the CCRT, which works under the Ministry of Culture, provided scholarships to children all over India. The arrested duo has been remanded in judicial custody. Police said 11 people were arrested in August for siphoning off scholarship money meant for children in various fields of art and the alleged scam was worth over Rs 50 lakh. The accused have been identified as GC Joshi, former director of CCRT and Anil Kohli, 60, who had retired as Dy Director (Finance) from CCRT in April-2018. "The scam came to light in February when the director and the accused had differences over their share in the money and the director lodged a police case in Dwarka. GC Joshi, then director of CCRT, alleged major fraud in the department in the name of scholarships after which 11 people were arrested in August. However, during investigations, the involvement of Kohli and Joshi in the scam was revealed and they were arrested on Saturday," said Ajit Singla, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime). Police claimed in August 2011, the accused GC Joshi appointed the earlier arrested accused Sandip as an IT Programmer on a contractual basis and attached him with the Accounts Section, which was under the supervision of Dy. Director (Finance) Anil Kohli. "In Accounts Section, accused Sandip became acquainted with the loopholes and procedure of payments to the scholarship holders and planned to peculate. He roped in some of his friends, co-staff, Director/CCRT & Dy. Director (Finance) in his plan offering them certain percentages as commission. In this way, more than Rs 50 lakh were peculated by the accused in 2015," said Singla. In 2016, a dispute arose between Joshi, Kohli and Sandip over their share as there was lack of currency in banks following demonetisation. Finally, on March 8, 2018, Joshi terminated the services of Sandip prior to the completion of his contractual period and filed a complaint against him in Dwarka police station accusing him of the fraud. RIGHTFUL CLAIMANTS OF THE SCHOLARSHIP CCRT grants scholarship in music, dance, drama, theatre, painting and craft to children aged between 10 and 14 till the age of 20, after inviting applications from all over India. A central selection committee then picks around 650 applicants for monthly scholarships every year.

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