Mahim school being probed for ₹75-lakh spend on CBSE affiliation

Mumbai police have filed a case against former school officials and a consultant for allegedly misappropriating ₹75 lakh meant for CBSE affiliation.

MUMBAI: Former office-bearers of a Mahim school, a serving member and an educational consultant have been booked for allegedly taking around ₹75 lakh from the institution on the pretext of securing CBSE affiliation.

Mahim school being probed for ₹75-lakh spend on CBSE affiliation

The Mahim police have registered a case against Sanjay Sukthankar, secretary of the Saraswati Mandir High School, former member Mangesh Rajadhyakasha, former trustee Anil Kokade, former chairperson Vinay Rege, and an educational consultant Anupama Khaitan.

Police identified the complainant and whistleblower as Manohar Kamat, 71, former vice-president of the Saraswati Mandir Education Trust and a retired medical practitioner.

Founded by the Saraswati Mandir Education Society (SMES) to benefit the children from economically challenged areas of Dharavi and Mahim, the school was affiliated to the SSC board but decided to seek CBSE affiliation. Accordingly, it began classes for Class 1 to 8 in 2013.

When the students were about to clear Class 8, the trust approached the CBSE board for permission to add Classes 9 and 10. However, their application was turned down as the school did not fulfil the required criteria. The CBSE classes shared premises with the SSC board and the CBSE prohibits dual board affiliation using identical infrastructure and land.

Rajadhyakasha and Kokade then suggested that Khaitan, an educational consultant, could secure the affiliation. Khaitan was paid ₹30 lakh via cheque and an MoU was also signed. Khaitan submitted documents to the CBSE board, which also visited the school. Then she demanded ₹30 lakh more and also took ₹15 lakh in cash.

“Entries were found in the books of the school, dated August 2020. However in March 2022, the CBSE rejected the application for affiliation. Khaitan was unable to explain how the attempt had failed despite the ₹75 lakh she was given, said a police officer.

Kamat had written to the school’s new committee about the alleged fraud. He also wrote to the charity commissioner and the Mahim police.

In their reply, the committee claimed the money had been spent as professional fees. They said the trustees from 2015 to 2020 were responsible for the expenditure. Since the present committee members were not experts in auditing, the complainant should approach an auditor, they told him.

“We have registered a case for criminal breach of trust, cheating and common intent under the Indian Penal Code, said the officer.