E-Paper
3 years on, Punjabi University dragging feet on corruption, nepotism probe reports
Even as the Punjab government had directed the Punjabi University authorities to put their house in order by taking action on these probe reports on corruption and nepotism, nothing concrete was done
Punjabi University, Patiala, has been delaying action for nearly three years against its officials and employees on the findings of inquiry reports related to allegations of corruption, embezzlement and nepotism from 2007 to 2017.
The failure to act on alleged irregularities during the 8-year tenure of former vice-chancellor Jaspal Singh led to an administrative and financial mess at the varsity, particularly after he resigned in 2017.
Even as the state government had directed the varsity authorities to put their house in order by taking action on these reports, nothing concrete was done.
The then higher education secretary Anurag Verma, who was appointed officiating V-C in the wake of Jaspal Singh’s resignation in March 2017, had ordered 14 internal inquiries after he received complaints of irregularities in the university’s functioning from 2007 to 2017.
The reports of these inquiries in sealed cover were handed over to then vice-chancellor BS Ghuman in December 2017. Ghuman formed a two-member committee comprising former Punjab secretary-rank officer Jagjit Singh Puri and former Haryana additional director general of police (DGP) VK Kapoor to further enquire into the reports.
The panel also submitted its findings in sealed cover to the university in July 2018.
One of the complainants alleged that the varsity authorities were trying to save the skin of their employees involved in siphoning of funds and corruption.
V-C Prof Arvind said action on these reports is on his priority list.
“I have gone through these reports and further inquiry is on. The probe will be take to its logical conclusion before April next year. It is taking time since these are complex reports. The ones with no conclusive findings will be ignored,” said Prof Arvind.
The inquiry reports
The inquiry reports deal with the recruitment of 62 assistant professors , purchase of fire extinguishers to the tune of ₹80 lakh, giving priority to candidates on waiting list in teaching and non-teaching departments, hiring of outsourced employees, recruitment of teachers on fake scheduled caste/backward class certificates, purchase of question and answer sheets at exorbitant prices, undue promotions, purchase of faulty software for the distance education department and the examination branch, incorrect pay fixation and allowing service extension to retired employees.
