Bhopal, April 15 : Veteran Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the state's scholarship schemes.

He raised apprehensions over the functioning of the Lokayukta of Madhya Pradesh after a court rejected closure reports in multiple cases linked to the misuse of scholarships.

In a statement on Wednesday, Kamal Nath said that the rejection of closure reports in 34 cases points to â??serious lapses in investigationâ?? and demanded a transparent probe to ensure accountability. He added, "The courtâ??s observations clearly indicate that crucial evidence was not collected. This raises apprehensions about how these cases were being handled."

The cases pertain to alleged irregularities in scholarship schemes, in which students were found to have secured admissions to two different colleges simultaneously to avail benefits. Colleges and nodal institutions involved in the process were also named as accused parties in the matter.

Over the past three and a half months, the Lokayukta had submitted closure reports in all 34 cases, according to reports. However, the court rejected each of them, citing a lack of proper investigation and insufficient evidence.

On April 13, the court also rejected a closure report in a separate bribery case involving a former Additional Commissioner of a Municipal Corporation. In its observations, the court pointed out that the investigating agency failed to collect key documents from the institutions involved.

These included attendance registers, enrollment records of students in various courses, examination attendance lists, and result sheets.

The court noted that despite clear directions recorded in the official case file to gather such evidence, the Lokayukta did not comply adequately. As a result, the available material could not conclusively establish whether the students were actually enrolled and studying in both institutions simultaneously.

Additionally, the court observed that records related to the disbursal of scholarships were not thoroughly examined, further weakening the investigation.

Kamal Nath stressed that such lapses not only undermine the credibility of the investigation but also raise concerns about the misuse of public funds meant for deserving students.

â??Scholarship schemes are designed to support the underprivileged. Any misuse or negligence in probing such matters is unacceptable,â?? he said. He urged the state government to take cognisance of the courtâ??s remarks and ensure a fair and comprehensive reinvestigation into the cases.

/IANS