Sewali Devi Sharma, a suspended Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, has been arrested by the Chief Minister’s vigilance cell in Assam, along with her son-in-law Ajit Pal Singh. The arrests were made concerning an alleged embezzlement scandal related to the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in Assam.
According to reports, Sharma is accused of embezzling Rs 105 crore without showing any work orders during her tenure as the executive chairman and director of SCERT between 2017 and 2020. In addition, it has been alleged that Sharma opened five bank accounts without the consent of the Assam government to funnel money out of SCERT.
The scam reportedly came to light after the Assam government audited the SCERT’s accounts, revealing discrepancies in the financial records. Following the audit, Sharma was suspended from her post as the executive chairman and director of SCERT in November 2020.
Sharma and her son-in-law had been on the run since then, with the Assam vigilance cell tracking them down to a hideout in Rajasthan. The arrests were made after a joint operation between the Assam vigilance cell and the Rajasthan police.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has lauded the efforts of the vigilance cell in arresting Sharma and her son-in-law. They will be produced in court and remanded in police custody for further investigation.
