New Delhi: The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry has sought a clarification from the Aligarh Muslim University over an issue of alleged financial irregularities of about Rs 120 crore claimed in a government audit report.
“AMU’s four-page report raises more questions. AMU says audit is routine in nature but it raises serious questions about financial impropriety .The university did not bother to reply to auditors but is claiming everything is hunky dory,” a ministry source was quoted by The Economic Times as saying.
The audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) indicated the involvement of varisty’s vice chancellor Zamiruddin Shah in the alleged illegal transfer of Rs 51.79 lakh to a private trust, of which he is a lifetime trustee.
The audit report detailed 58 cases of financial irregularities, including construction of hostel for 1,500 women students and conducting PhD programmes through distance education mode in contravention of UGC regulations.
On the other hand, AMU in its report to the HRD ministry tried to quash the audit done by Allahabad office of principal director of audit (central) under the CAG.
The varsity claimed that it had permission to transfers Rs 51.79 lakh to the private trust for establishing a school for riot victims at Muzaffarnagar.
“The university evaded giving any reply or producing the relevant rules and records before the audit. Subsequently, three reminders were issued to the university on January 4, 16 and 29, 2016 but these reminders again failed to elicit any response from the university,” The Economic Times quoted the audit report.
The report recommended that the illegal transaction should be deducted from the entitlement of the university for financial assistance and also said that recovery should be made from the salary of the person who is responsible for taking such illegal action.
