Congress alleges financial irregularities in Ahmedabad Municipal School

The Congress has demanded that a criminal complaint be made against Ashwin Trivedi, one of the most controversial and influential officials of the Ahmedabad Municipal School Board, for breach of financial discipline.

The school board, education body of the AMC, did not approve the expenditure incurred by Trivedi and asked him to return Rs70,000 which he withdrew by breaching financial discipline. Moreover, he was not allowed to attend the board meeting on Tuesday.

Besides, the school board discontinued the service of controversial non-government organisation Gyanshala in municipal schools.

Trivedi had withdrawn Rs70,000 from the school board account in cash when he was acting administrative officer. The school board had initiated a vigilance inquiry against him after repeated complaints from Habibur Rehman Mew in this regard. The committee set by the school board, industrial relation department and vigilance department found Trivedi guilty of the same.

Habibur Mew said that Trivedi had withdrawn five times more money in cash than the permissible limit of Rs15,000. Moreover, he did not submit bills justifying the expenses. He also alleged that Trivedi's service book contains remarks of carelessness in duty. He also demanded that a criminal complaint be filed by the school board against Trivedi.

Manu Rawal, chairman of Ahmedabad Municipal School Board, confirmed that Trivedi had been asked to repay the money. The course of action to be taken against Trivedi will be decided after looking into all aspects of the matter.

Sources also said that around 85% powers enjoyed by Trivedi have been withdrawn because of numerous complaints received against him. This will come into effect from July 1, 2010, said sources. The charges withdrawn from Trivedi have been invested in other eligible and sincere officials.

Mew also alleged that during his tenure as acting administrative officer of the  school board, Trivedi had referred around 70 students to schools run by Gyanshala, an NGO that is not allowed to provide service to municipal schools anymore.

The school board has also barred the service of Gyanshala in municipal schools with effect from June 1, 2010.