ED raids BJP leader's properties in UP, Uttarakhand over scholarship scam
The Enforcement Directorate has taken action against BJP MLC Dharmendra Bhardwaj in connection with an SC/ST scholarship scam in Uttarakhand. The ED has seized assets worth ₹14 crore belonging to Bhardwaj across three educational institutions in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Bhardwaj faces allegations of illegally obtaining ₹29 crore in scholarship funds using fake students. The fraud involved Meerut's Mahavir Institute of Technology. During investigation, the ED found that approximately 47 per cent of beneficiaries either failed exams, were absent, had untraceable records, or received grants despite not meeting eligibility criteria. Bhardwaj has denied any connection to the management committees of these institutions.
The ED has been investigating the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act since 2020. The scam involved fraudulent scholarship claims between 2011-12 and 2016-17, with investigations revealing 2,895 fake claims out of 6,208 total applications.
