SAHIWAL, June 13: The Divisional Public School principal has refuted charges that he embezzled any school funds, saying a false case was registered against him in this connection.

Principal Col Arif Chauhan (retired) alleged at a press conference here on Saturday night that the district Nazim had taken action against him in revenge for his refusal to appoint some women teachers in the school.

He further alleged that former Sahiwal deputy commissioner Raja Hasan Abbas had withdrawn Rs4 million from the school accounts. The office superintendent, Badar Amir, was appointed an accounts clerk on Dec 15, 1994, by the then deputy commissioner, Masood Ahmad Shah, and soon elevated to the rank of office superintendent.

Badar embezzled Rs1.3 million from school funds, the principal alleged, adding a written complaint was filed for registration of a case against him. Since taking over as chairman of the Sahiwal Divisional Public School and College, the district Nazim had withdrawn one million rupees from school funds to establish another 'Divisional' Public School in his hometown of Chichawatni.

The Sahiwal school accounts were maintained in a government bank from where the district Nazim transferred Rs25 million to a bank in the private sector to favour a manager.