Hyderabad: Sleuths of Central Crime Station (CCS) questioned former District Education Officer (DEO) M Somi Reddy in connection with the Madrassa scam. It must be recalled that large scale misappropriation of funds earmarked for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was exposed last year.
A complaint was lodged by Syeda Zehra Unnisa, Nazim of Madrasa Ali-Ul-Uloom at Bahadurpura in December 2016, following which CCS cops took up the case. Two education department officials, Naga Raju (field officer) and Yogender have already been arrested, while another officer, Asra Firdous, is absconding. 12 others have been booked including an MBA student Mohammed Zubair of Falaknuma who allegedly stole lakhs of rupees by furnishing fictitious names of Vidya Volunteers.
Cops recorded the statement of Somi Reddy during whose tenure the irregularities were reported. He was also the District Project Officer of SSA at that time.
The Sarva Shiksha Abhyan (SSA) is entrusted with bringing madrassa students into the mainstream. SSA pays Rs 7,000 as honorarium to Vidya Volunteers who teach at madrasas.