The issue of alleged irregularities in consultancy and testing services for water and air samples across various industrial units in Haryana — conducted by the Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology (GJUST) and involving certain faculty members, including the current Vice-Chancellor — has resurfaced.
This follows a directive from the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Haryana, asking the university to formally request a detailed special audit of the Business Development Group (BDG) records by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, through the Governor of Haryana.
Simultaneously, the Lokayukta Haryana too has asked the Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana Higher Education Department to submit a report on the same complaint as the next hearing is posted on May 1.
The matter pertains to allegations of financial irregularities of the amount that was collected from industrial units for the consultancy and testing services from the year 2010 to 2014 which was conducted by the department of Environmental Sciences while the BDG was taking care of the finances of the works.
Prof Sandeep Gupta, Principal Scientist with the Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (LUVAS), said he has filed the complaints with the Accountant General Haryana and also the Lokayukta Haryana for a probe into the matter.
He alleged that there were large-scale financial irregularities committed by the faculty members who were part of this work of consultancy and testing services.
"I have evidence which I have submitted to these agencies requesting a probe," he said, adding that besides other financial irregularities, he was able to detect testing works related to 14 industries conducted by the university faculty but the amount was not deposited with the university as per rules.
Responding to his complaint, PAG, Haryana, on March 25, made an audit observation GJUST stating, "no records/information/documents in respect of the following were produced to audit" despite multiple requisitions and reminders. The documents sought included the register/file of consultancy and testing services provided by the faculties of this university during 2010-2014, details of the total amount collected from consultancies and testing services, and TA bills/claims submitted by the faculties for the same period.
The PAG letter stated that the university stated in its reply that the office of Head, Business Development Group (BDG), which was responsible for looking after consultancy work in the university, was closed by a decision of University court on March 30, 2017.
However, the audit observation by the PAG office noted that the records/information/documents can be provided to the audit, but still, no records/information/documents were provided. It further mentioned that "a request for a special detailed audit of BDG records may also be given to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India by the university through the Governor.
Notably, the Governor is also the Chancellor of the university. Similarly, responding to Gupta's complaint, Lokayukta, Haryana, stated that they had sought the report in this regard from the ACS, Higher Education, Haryana, which has not been received so far.
It stated that the Lokayukta has granted another opportunity to submit the report and fixed the next hearing on May 1, asking the ACS for necessary compliance. GJUST V-C Narsi Ram Bishnoi, who is also named in the complaint, denied the allegations of irregularities, stating that the Haryana Vigilance had conducted an inquiry and the complaint had even approached the High Court. He is making such complaints with ulterior motives, he alleged.