NEW DELHI: The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has arrested nine owners, directors and associates of coaching institutes in connection with an alleged Rs 37.20-crore scam linked to a Delhi government scheme, an official said on Friday.
A case was registered in 2025 on a complaint by the Department for the Welfare of SCs, STs and OBCs, which alleged large-scale irregularities by empanelled coaching institutes in claiming funds from the exchequer under the 'Jai Bhim Mukhyamantri Pratibha Vikas Yojana' in 2018-19.
According to the ACB, the scheme was launched in 2017 to provide free coaching to students from Scheduled Caste (SC) category for competitive examinations, with an initial notification issued on January 9, 2018.
Eight institutes were empanelled in the first phase, enrolling around 5,000 students. The coaching fee and student stipend were to be routed through these institutes.
In 2019-20, the scheme was expanded to include Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) categories, and 38 additional institutes were empanelled.
Across both phases, nearly 22,000 students were enrolled.
"Investigation has revealed that these institutes collectively obtained around Rs 37.20 crore under the scheme," the statement said. Probe findings indicate multiple violations of scheme guidelines. It was mandatory for institutes to maintain separate bank accounts for the scheme funds, but this mandate was allegedly flouted.
Investigators also found that student lists submitted by institutes contained duplicate entries, with several names appearing across multiple institutes to inflate claims.
During the probe, students denied multiple enrolments, indicating forged records to siphon funds. Stipends were withheld or delayed, and rules violated. Nine accused, arrested on April 29, are in 14-day judicial custody;
investigation continues.