Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 14 Dec: The Dehradun district administration has launched its most significant recovery action yet against the Subharti Group as part of a special drive targeting large defaulters. Acting on directives from District Magistrate Savin Bansal, the district revenue officials have initiated attachment proceedings for outstanding dues totalling Rs 87.50 crores. The administration has warned that no defaulter will escape legal action for failing to clear pending amounts. This move aims to expedite revenue recovery and safeguard government funds across the district.
The officials claim that the attachment warrant has been issued after repeated notices failed to elicit payment from the institution. It may be recalled that 74 students from the 2017-18 batch of this college had approached the Supreme Court through a writ petition, claiming the college lacked essential infrastructure that halted their studies. The Medical Council of India had submitted its observations in the case, which had recommended transfer of the students to other institutions.
In 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the transfer of 300 students to three government medical colleges in the state, stipulating that they pay only the fees applicable at those colleges. The court reiterated this directive in its judgement of 12 April 2019. Accommodating these 300 students required the state government to build infrastructure on par with an entirely new medical college, imposing a heavy and unforeseen financial strain.
Meanwhile, the Subharti institution had collected full fees from these students over six years without delivering adequate services. Now facing severe consequences, the college faces a recovery warrant from the district administration, with potential seizure of its bank accounts and attachment of properties expected in the coming days. The action has been initiated after the Director, Medical Education, had urged the District Magistrate to pursue full recovery.
DM Savin Bansal made it clear that any revenue loss remains unacceptable, vowing strict measures against defaulters who delay or evade payments. He has instructed revenue officers to compile detailed reports on all defaulters without delay, prioritising large ones and submitting daily progress updates on recovery efforts. Where required, officials must resort to attachments, notices, bank account seizures, or other legal steps. Bansal emphasised that those who misappropriate public money will face unrelenting action.
