HC notice to Punjab, CBI over plea seeking independent probe

Acted on the plea of Dr NP Singh, a former dean with the varsity and a Jalandhar resident

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday put Punjab government on notice on a plea seeking the CBI probe into alleged irregularities at IK Gujral PTU, Kapurthala, during the tenure of former vicechancellor Rajneesh Arora.

Arora remained the V-C from 2008 till 2011 after getting a three-year extension. The high court acted on the plea of Dr NP Singh, a former dean with the varsity and a Jalandhar resident.

The high court bench of justice Sudip Ahluwalia has sought response from the CBI, state government and the former V-C, among others, by March 5.

The plea demands that September 21 order of special judge, Kapurthala, be set aside whereby protest petition by the petitioner was not considered while accepting cancellation report in the 2018 FIR.

It also demands that January 4, 2018, FIR registered under Prevention of Corruption Act and criminal conspiracy by vigilance bureau be handed over to the CBI or any other agency as accused are highly connected and influential persons who have allegedly embezzled crores by misusing official position.

Arora was arrested by vigilance bureau for allegedly committing major financial irregularities and administrative lapses during his tenure as the V-C in January 2018. Nine others were also booked. The vigilance had registered the case following an inquiry report that former IAS officer Surjit Singh Dhillon had submitted to the state government, indicting Arora for financial irregularities and bypassing norms to appoint consultants.

The vigilance FIR claimed that Arora made a payment of Rs 25 crore from the varsity to a private company, without following financial rules.

The vigilance also investigated the claim of Arora appointing six coordinators and facilitators, arbitrarily, without publishing any advertisement and of paying Rs 9.3 crore to them over two years.

Arora was also accused of causing a loss of Rs 1.6 crore to the varsity by opening the office of the Indian Institute of Excellence Programme in Delhi. However, in the closure report filed on August 3, vigilance bureau had opined that it did not find evidence and also there were not audit objections.