Deepu Sebastian Edmond: IndianExpress.: Sun Oct 24 2010,
New Delhi : The Aligarh Muslim University has already spent more than Rs 43 lakh on a fact-finding committee that is looking into allegations of financial misappropriation against Vice-Chancellor P K Abdul Azis. That’s almost as much as half the money—Rs 90 lakh—allegedly misappropriated.
The President of India, in her capacity as the Visitor of the AMU, had appointed the two-member committee in February this year. Its Chairman is the former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice Bashir Ahmed Khan, while former Judge of the Gujarat High Court Justice A N Divecha is the other member.
The committee, initially appointed for a two-month term, has been given an extension till October 31. It began its sixth and final sitting on Saturday in Delhi.
RTI queries filed by a retired faculty ember of the University has revealed that up to September 15, Justice Khan was paid Rs 10.29 lakh while Justice Divecha, Rs 12.91 lakh, as salary and other perks. AMU deputed Ch. Mushrraf Ali, a security supervisor with its Proctor’s Office, with Justice Khan from April 24 to May 3 at his Kashmir residence. On May 25, AMU notified the appointment of a peon and residential attendant with effect from April 1 at Justice Divecha’s Gujarat residence.
Advocate Ejaz Maqbool, AMU’s representative before the committee, was paid Rs 10.12 lakh till September 25. “The advocate has been paid by the University even after the RTI queries were filed. As of now, he has been paid more than Rs 16 lakh. It averages to about Rs 1 lakh per sitting of the Committee,” said Ziauddin Ahmad, who filed the RTIs.
An April-9 letter from the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Human Resources Development tp AMU said both retired judges be paid all the emoluments of a sitting Justice of a High Court. A May 4 letter, which overrode the April 9 communication, gave Justice Khan the privileges and pay of a sitting Chief Justice of a High Court.
The May-4 letter also said that Justice Divecha should be paid a car allowance of Rs 40,000 per month for his chauffeur-driven car. Despite this, records show that Rs 1.96 lakh has been paid to a taxi service based in Delhi’s Kalkaji as payment for taxi hired for both members. Rs 2.08 has been spent on air fare.
Though all the sittings are held at the India Islamic Centre, Delhi, an office of the committee was set up at K-19/A, 1st Floor, Lajpat Nagar-II, Delhi on April 28. Three posts, that of a stenographer, a clerk and an office assistant were created. Till September 15, AMU has paid Rs 1.97 lakh towards renting the office space and salary of the individuals posted there. Also, the University has paid India Islamic Centre Rs 45,031 as rent and payment for refreshments.
The University has spent Rs 32,118 alone in transporting files from Aligarh to Delhi for each sitting. It deputed three officials from May 9-11 in Delhi to welcome Justice Divecha for the May 10 sitting. Another set of three officials were posted in the capital on May 10 to present the University’s case before the committee.
An incident after the May 5 hearing gave another twist to the story. “After the hearing was concluded, it was observed that some participants indulged in a shameful act of verbal and even physical abuse against each other even when the Chairman and the Member had not yet left....,” noted the committee.
Instead of trusting the Delhi Police with the matter, the AMU swung into action on June 30, and decided to send eight University security staff in two Gypsies to Delhi for the July 3 sitting. For the August 7 sitting, a security supervisor was added to this pack and a minibus replaced the two Gypsies.
The allegations against the VC
Purchased Rs. 39.74 lakh worth furniture from Kerala for his official residence without inviting tender.
Spent Rs 24.34 lakh extra on a Rs 75-lakh civil contract for the renovation of the VC’s lodge.
Spent Rs 24.54 lakh on a centralised air-conditioning system for the VC’s lodge, Rs 9.22 lakh more than a cheaper option.
Bought a Honda Civic car worth Rs 12.72 lakh and availed travel allowance of Rs 81,654 and Rs 93,053 for himself and family on two occasions.
(The VC’s lodge was renovated after students burnt it down following the death of a student on the campus.)
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