2-member panel set up to investigate alleged corruption in DU's College of Vocational Studies

NEW DELHI: A two-member committee headed by a retired high court judge has been constituted to investigate the alleged financial discrepancies in all accounts of the Delhi University's College of Vocational Studies, officials said on Wednesday. The decision was taken during a meeting of the college's governing body on Wednesday.

The enquiry committee will be headed by Justice (retired) Sunil Gaur. During the meeting, an audit report into the alleged financial irregularities by the college administration between 2010 and 2013 was presented to governing body, headed by Chairman Rajan Chopra. The audit report highlighted many "irregularities in operational processes, documentation, compliance and internal controls that expose the college to a very high level of financial risk", as per the minutes of the meeting. "Financial discrepancies in several accounts were reported. The governing body discussed the recommendations made by the auditor and accepted the part of the 1 report," the minutes read.

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It was noted that several documents were not made available to the auditor by the accounts, admin, the librarian and the coordinator of the IGNOU Centre running from the college. The audit was ordered by the governing body last November to investigate the alleged corruption in all the accounts of the college. The audit was initiated after irregularities in the purchase of library books surfaced, the officials said. Principal Inderjeet Dagar had been accused of financial irregularities when 180 books purchased for a lakh didn’t reach the college, officials said.

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There have been complaints of financial and administrative irregularities against him, according to the officials. "The GB (governing body) decided to set up a two-member enquiry committee comprising Justice (Retd,) Sunil Gaur (Chairman) and CA Arun Vasistha as members to investigate the financial deficiencies in all the accounts (including 1GNOU) of the college,” the minutes read. The governing body has also decided to extend the internal audit for another four years.

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Last month, the DU administration accepted the report by retired Delhi High Court judge Justice S N Dhingra, which found irregularities in the purchase of library books for the college and asked principal Dagar to proceed on leave till further orders so that further inquiry could be conducted. "The principal has misused his position and has been indulged in many irregularities including related to UGC exams," said Kumar Ashutosh, Secretary of CVS teachers’ association. The teachers’ association has urged authorities that Rajan Chopra, whose tenure is ending on February 27, be allowed to remain on the position so that he can further investigate the matter. "The tenure of our GB Chairman Rajan Chopra is ending on 27th and he should be given another term to unearth corruption. Corrupt forces are trying to remove him," Kumar said. The college principal could not be reached for comments.