Gujarat school principal convicted for misappropriation of funds

The principal of a municipal school was convicted for misappropriation of funds by the metropolitan magistrate on Wednesday. The principal had siphoned of scholarship funds meant for poor children.

Jayantkumar Patel, who had been lodged in the jail since 2007, had failed to submit the excess amount to the government, after distributing scholarship to the students.

As per the case, between 2002 and 2006, the government allotted a sum of Rs 15.92 lakh to the Karsan Nagar Gujarati Primary school.

Patel, however, distributed only a sum of Rs7.27 lakh among the students and siphoned off the rest. The court relied on the reply of Patel during an administrative inquiry whereby he had admitted to the misappropriation of funds and in fact had also assured that he would return the same.

After he failed to return the fund, the education department filed a complaint against him with the Odhav police station on September 7, 2007.

The prosecution in the case examined 11 witnesses and relied on 23 documents. The court after going through the evidence convicted the principal and sentenced him to three years imprisonment. However, as Patel was lodged in jail since 2007 he will soon be released.