An article in The Hindu

http://hindu.com/2010/10/22/stories/2010102258540400.htm

NEW DELHI: A Right to Information application filed by a former Aligarh Muslim University professor in the Botany Department has revealed that the university is spending large sums of money in payments to the enquiry committee constituted to undertake the Presidential inquiry into alleged financial irregularities by Vice-Chancellor Abdul P.K. Azis.


Prof. Ziauddin Ahmad, who filed the RTI in August, said: “In excess of Rs. 43 lakh has been spent till September 15 to take care of the expenses of the two-member inquiry committee though the actual inquiry proceedings are yet to begin.”


The meetings of the inquiry committee so far have only established the modalities and the framework of the inquiry while the actual examination of evidence will take place from October 23 to 26.


The two-member committee which consists of Justice B.A. Khan and Justice Devicha was constituted in April and is the second committee to be constituted to inquire into alleged financial irregularities of the V-C. The first committee was constituted in July 2009 and dissolved in September 2009 after differences arose among its members.

“It should not have taken so long to appoint a second committee after the old one had ben dissolved. The second committee was to submitt its report two months after its constitution. It is yet to be known when the committee will come out with its findings and they are taking home a hefty salary each month,” Prof. Ahmad said.


The expenditure of over Rs. 43 lakh was incurred under heads such as payments of salaries and perks to the judges, legal expenses paid to advocate Eijaz Maqbool, committee office rent and salary for office staff, travel expenses and petty expenditure.


According to Prof. Ahmad “Mr. Eijaz Maqbool, the appointed advocate, is also the university representative. However, the inquiry is against Prof. Azis and not the university. Hence Mr. Maqbool need not have been appointed. Yet he has been appointed and he will represent the V-C who should hire and pay for iis own lawyer.”

“Further, when inquiry proceedings are instituted against an official, the usual practice is either suspension or to send the person on leave. In this case the V-C has been allowed to retain his position questioning the fairness of enquiry proceedings,” Mr. Ahmad added.


AMU public relations officer Dr. Rahat Abrar said: “The inquiry is not just against the V-C but also against those who have made the allegations. Moreover, we are following directions of the Government of India with regard to the expenditure including the pay to the judges and other payments.”