NEW DELHI: Sending a strong message against collusion of education directorate officials with private schools, the Delhi government on Monday ordered the suspension of a regional director for "deliberate misrepresentation of facts in the affidavit filed in the Delhi high court in the matter of Mirambika Free Progress School".

The government also ordered a vigilance inquiry against officers responsible for filing the affidavit and decided to withdraw the document. It will file a fresh affidavit before the next date of hearing, February 9, 2017.

The government said its directorate of education (DoE) had wrongly stated that recognition to the school was given in 1988, whereas it was actually granted in 1989. The difference is crucial as Mirambika had moved from its location in Aurobindo Ashram to new premises in Ashram, near Lajpat Nagar, in December 1988.

The school shifted back to Aurobindo Ashram in April 2015, a move that led to protests.If DoE recognised the school in 1989, it would mean that the recognition was granted on the basis of the infrastructure at Lajpat Nagar, and not at the present premises.

Pranjal Jauhar, chairperson of Sri Aurobindo Education Society (SAES) that runs the school, said, "I don't think facts were misrepresented.But we will find out the details from DoE tomorrow." According to a senior government official, although two inspections of the school were undertaken by the government, "it was just the infrastructure that was looked into. However, last month after studying the original documents of the land and recognition of SAES, it came to light that there has been a serious misrepresentation of facts at the Delhi high court by DoE via an affidavit filed on June 29, 2016. A case was filed by parents of students after the school was shifted from its building on 9.84 acres, from where it has been functioning since December 1988, to another building in Aurobindo Ashram in April 2015."

The DoE filed its affidavit on June 29, 2016. According to the order signed by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, after "carefully perusing the files related to this case it seems apparent that the inspection report and the affidavit filed by the DoE in the court are a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.It is, therefore, necessary to take strong action on this count".

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Delhi government suspends official for 'fudging facts' about school - Times of India