Probe ‘embezzlement’ of scholarship funds: HC to Punjabi varsity VC
The petitioner had approached the high court seeking directions to register a criminal case and to conduct a thorough investigation into alleged embezzlement of amount pertaining to scholarships and fellowships offered by UGC at the university.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed Punjabi University, Patiala, vice-chancellor Prof BS Ghuman to look into the alleged embezzlement of University Grants Commission (UGC) scholarship of two research scholars in the physical education department by marking bogus attendance.
The petitioner had approached the high court seeking directions to register a criminal case and to conduct a thorough investigation into alleged embezzlement of amount pertaining to scholarships and fellowships offered by UGC at the university.
“In case, any such representation is filed or has already been filed by the petitioner, the university vice chancellor shall look into the same and take necessary steps as may be warranted in case the allegations are found to be correct,” the court observed.
On the basis of information procured through the Right to Information (RTI), former Secular Youth Federation of India president Harwinder Singh Sandhu, who is pursuing PhD in defence studies, had accused a senior faculty member of the physical education department of siphoning off scholarship funds in the name of two of his research fellows, who are pursuing PhD under his guidance.
“One of the research scholars started getting the UGC scholarship in April 7, 2017, and claimed it till June 6, 2018. She had joined as a patwari in the state revenue department on December 12, 2016. The faculty member’s other research fellow had claimed fellowship between August 2014 and November, 2017, but took up the job of an assistant professor at another university,” Sandhu alleged.
It was also accused that despite knowing about his research fellows having taken up jobs, the faculty member continued to mark their fake attendance and claimed the scholarship money in blatant violation of the UGC norms.
Both the research fellows were getting a scholarship amount of ₹25,000 each per month, and ₹2,500 as house rent allowance (HRA).
Prof Ghuman said the university is already looking into the matter and action will be taken as per the rules.
