Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 31: On the direction of Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Jammu, the State Vigilance Organization has initiated inquiry into alleged financial irregularities in Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra.
For the purpose, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Vigilance Organization has been constituted to look into the allegations, which include purchase of a particularly science equipment at an approximate price of Rs 1.75 crore without floating any tender by then Vice-Chancellor Prof R N Bamezai, official sources informed the Excelsior.
Misusing official powers for conferring undue financial benefits to individuals, appointments and misuse of official vehicles at the expense of Public money are among other allegations, which have been referred to the Vigilance for investigations, sources added.
The Vigilance action has been initiated on the direction of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu Puneet Gupta following a complaint filed on the basis of some RTIs disclosing alleged financial irregularities in the University, which came into existence under Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University of 1999.
Following the direction of Special Judge Anti-Corruption last month and consequent approval of Director Vigilance Sheikh Owais this week for investigations into the allegations, inquiry has been entrusted to a special team of Vigilance Organization Jammu, sources informed.
As per the allegations, under investigation of Vigilance team, soon after assuming the charge of Vice-Chancellor SMVDU, Prof Bamezai, purchased a Science research equipment known as MassARRAY SEQUENOM at a price of 3, 68,389 $ (approximately Rs 1.75 crore). This purchase of high value equipment was made without floating any national/global tender thus violating the SMVDU regulations governing ‘Purchase and Management of Stores’.
Further, in order to make appear that the MassARRAY equipment had been purchased for use by the university, three scholars of Prof Bamezai during his tenure as Professor at Jawahar Lal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, were invited to stay at SMVDU. However, with the exit of Prof Bamzezai as VC, all the three scholars also disappeared.
The then Vice-Chancellor is also accused of professional misconduct and misusing his official position for selection of his scholars against the advertised posts in the School of Biology and Chemistry by becoming Chairman of the Selection Committee.
There are more allegations of conferring undue financial benefits by misusing official powers by the Registrar and other officers besides violating the J&K Public Servants Classification and Control Rules and misrepresentation of facts to help individuals, sources said.
The records obtained through RTI also establish misuse of the University official vehicles covering more than double distance than the actual one between Katra and the SMVDU Campus. These official vehicles were allegedly misused to the maximum capacity and even showed plying while the concerned officers were out of station.
There is also an allegation of hanky panky dealing with the UGC grant amounting in crores of rupees under XI Plan period.
All these allegations and a few others in the form of complaint under Section 5(2) of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, are now under investigation of the Vigilance team, specially constituted for the purpose, sources said.
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