Manish Sisodia inspects bills at the Rajendra Prasad School

Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia walked unannounced into a state government run school in the heart of Delhi at about 10.30 this morning, acting on a complaint that bills were being forged and payments being made to teachers who do not exist.



At the Rajendra Prasad School in the President's Estate, Mr Sisodia could find neither the principal, the man against whom the allegations were made, nor the vice principal. He went to some classes and spoke to teachers. The principal was summoned later.



The Deputy Chief Minister suspended the principal and a teacher after allegedly finding discrepancies in the school's book keeping and irregularities in the purchase of equipment and in other expenses. Officials also found blank bill books, Mr Sisodia tweeted.



Mr Sisodia, 43, was accompanied on his surprise check by the education secretary and a team of the police's anti-corruption department, which has registered a case of forgery. Sources say the principal could be arrested soon.





Manish Sisodia's Aam Aadmi Party won a massive mandate in the Delhi elections this February, primarily on the promise of rooting out corruption in the capital. It has prioritised accountability and probity in government and the institutions it runs.Mr Sisodia, who holds several key portfolios, including education, as chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's deputy, had often conducted surprise checks during the Aam Aadmi Party's 49-day stint in government last year.