JOIN USFresh charges of irregularities have been levelled against officials of KSOU, close on the heels of its derecognition by UGC.
Officials of the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) have been accused of tampering with the minutes of the meeting of the varsity’s Board of Management (BoM) on June 12, to facilitate the approval of excess payment of about Rs 30 crore for civil works.
BoM member and MLC Go Madhusudan, who has filed a complaint with the Governor in this connection, said that approving payment of the said amount was in violation of an order issued by the Governor on January 2. As per the order, the varsity has been directed not to take any policy decision or issue work order for works and purchases, until further orders. The order was relaxed by the Governor only during the recent convocation of the varsity, he said.
In the agenda of the meeting, there were several subjects including financial ones such as approving the excess payment of Rs 30 crore to various civil works.
“I raised an objection in the meeting that the BoM has been barred from taking any financial and policy decision by the Governor. Other members unanimously resolved to defer all such subjects in the agenda,” he said. The amount, he said, was paid for the construction of an auditorium at KSOU premises, for which an excess of Rs 19 crore was earmarked for works pertaining to the interiors of the auditorium, he said.
However, in the approved minutes of the meeting which was received on June 22, subjects which were deferred have been recorded as being passed by a majority, he said. This, Madhusudan said, amounted to criminal tampering of records and breach of trust.
Members present at the meeting include Vice-Chancellor M G Krishnan, registrar P S Naik, UoM Vice-Chancellor K S Rangappa and MLA R Narendra, apart from Madhusudan.
Madhusudan, in his complaint, has urged the Governor to initiate criminal proceedings against KSOU VC and Registrar for allowing the Governor’s order to be violated.
Rangappa’s nomination to KSOU BoM by the State government should be withdrawn, as there is a clear ‘clash of interest’. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take moral responsibility over Rangappa’s nomination and remove him, he said.