Officials' involvement likely in affiliation racket

 
The possible involvement of higher-ups within the university administration is not being ruled out, as the authorities have failed to cooperate with the Syndicate Sub-committee enquiring into the scam.

The fraud surfaced when, all of a sudden, 19 computerised inward receipts towards payment of college affiliation fee vanished from the Resource Cell of Finance Section. Subsequently, a number of fake and fabricated computer-generated receipts, with the forged signature of the officer concerned on them, appeared in their place.

The identity of those who were involved remains a mystery; the four-member Syndicate enquiry committee has recommended the registration of a criminal case, and handing over the enquiry to the Lokayukta.

When the receipts went missing, the office superintendent did not bring the matter to the notice of the higher-ups. However, during verification and reconciliation, it was found that some of the missing original inward receipts were fabricated and generated on a computer outside the university, with the same inward number, DD number, date, amount, etc.

The names of the colleges for which affiliation was to be given differed. Moreover, the receipts contained a forged signature of the office superintendent. The Syndicate Enquiry Committee, in its interim report, has identified that two institutions - Reshmi Educational and Charitable Trust and Sujay Educational and Welfare Society - both of Gulbarga - have fabricated receipts.

Committee Chairman Umakant Nigudgi, in his interim report, said that the Committee had called for the relevant details and documents in a prescribed proforma to ascertain the fee, fine received, reconciliated figures etc. However, the Academic Section of the University has not submitted the same. This apparently indicates the complicity of some higher officials in the fraud.

Interestingly, in a few files, the note states that some of the colleges have not submitted application for affiliation before the due date and, hence, have not paid the fee.

However, in the same files, the resubmitted notes claim that the colleges have paid the fee as per the inward receipts.

Interestingly, some of the colleges that had failed to submit the application for affiliation (along with the fee) before due date voluntarily paid the same after learning that the enquiry has been instituted and university authorities accepted the fee!

The enquiry committee has made certain interim recommendations. Among them are: suspension of officials involved in the bungling; withholding the affiliation of colleges in question; and referring the case to Lokaykuta for investigation.

Needless to say, no action has been initiated even two months after submission of the interim report.