Willing to take over debt-ridden Raisina Bengali School: Delhi govt submits in HC
New Delhi: The Delhi government has now told the Delhi High Court that it is willing to take over the management of debt-ridden Raisina Bengali School in CR Park here, which was on the verge of being auctioned off after being unable to pay off loans worth about Rs 8 crore.
In addition to this, the Delhi government has told the court that it has also asked the Comptroller and Auditor General to conduct a financial audit of the school so that financial misappropriation, if any, can be identified and responsibility for it can be fixed.
Delhi government Standing Counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi submitted before Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court on Thursday, "The government has given consent to take over the school in the interest of the education of children. The government has also requested the CAG to conduct the audit and if it is found that the money has been siphoned off or diverted to somewhere else from the school account, a very strict action will be
taken against the concerned person or authorities in
management of the school."
In November last year, the Debt Recovery Tribunal had directed that the school (government-aided) be sent for an e-auction — threatening the education and careers of around 900 students who are enrolled in the school.
When a few students of the school had moved the Delhi High Court against the DRT decision seeking to stop the auction, the court had suggested to the Delhi government to consider whether it could take over the school. At the same time, the company at whose behest the e-auction was being held, had submitted to the court that it would
not take any action at least till March 31 this year and let the students finish out the
school year.
While the Delhi government has not yet disclosed any specific timeline for the takeover of the school administration, it has clarified that it has consented to the takeover solely in the interest of the students. Moreover, reports have said that the bank to which the school defaulted has also agreed to a 25 per cent haircut if the government takes over the management.
