FIR lodged against ARMIET college for alleged fee irregularities
The administration of ARMIET in Mumbai is facing an FIR for allegedly collecting excessive fees from tribal category students. An inquiry revealed irregularities in the college's management, including submitting a fake affidavit for increased government benefits. The FIR implicates officers from AICTE, University of Mumbai, and Directorate of Technical Education. The college is accused of collecting an extra ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per student annually. The police have registered a case under various sections of the IPC.
MUMBAI: The administration of Alamuri Ratnamala Institute of Engineering and Technology (ARMIET) in Shahapur is facing a First Information Report (FIR) at the Shahapur police station, following allegations of collecting excessive fees from tribal category students. The college, run by the Koti Vidya Charitable Trust, is accused of collecting an additional ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 per student annually, contrary to the approved tuition fees by the Fee Regulatory Authority (FRA) of Maharashtra. This practice, reportedly ongoing since 2008, came to light when a parent representative filed a complaint in 2021.
An inquiry, initiated in 2022 by a committee led by the assistant project officer of the Integrated Tribal Development Office (ITDO) in Shahapur, uncovered irregularities in the college’s management. The college allegedly submitted a fake affidavit to the FRA for increased government benefits. The committee recommended strong action against the trustees under the Maharashtra Public Trust Act and the Income Tax Act.
The FIR, filed by the ITDO, implicates officers from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), University of Mumbai, and Directorate of Technical Education for approving the college despite multiple complaints. Activists claim that the college, enrolling over 1,600 students annually since 2008, has unofficially collected an extra ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 from each student, on top of the authorised annual fee of ₹30,000 to ₹40,000.
The FIR alleges that from 2012 to 2018, the college received ₹70,55,550 from ITDO as scholarships for 109 Scheduled Tribe (ST) students. However, the college only provided accounts for ₹58,93,168, leaving a balance amount of ₹11,62,382 unaccounted for, leading to accusations of duping the government. Members of the Mumbai University and College Teachers Association are demanding strict action against all parties involved, including government officials.
Despite several attempts, Alamuri Venkateshwara Gupta, chairman of Koti Vidya Charitable Trust, and trustee Lavendra Bothara could not be reached for comment. The police have registered a case under sections 34, 409, 420, 465, 467, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.