Slur casts on college Principal
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 21 2015 :
Amidst growing public suspicion about misappropriation of huge amount of funds sanctioned by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for development of college infrastructure, the State Vigilance has recommended the State Government to recover Rs 83 lakh from one former Principal of Lilong Haoreibi College.
UGC has been investing substantial amount of money for development of college infrastructure in Manipur and elsewhere across the country from time to time.
UGC has also been granting funds to colleges for different purposes starting from purchase of books for college libraries to procurement of sports equipment.
Investigation into college infrastructure development work at Lilong Haoreibi College by the State Vigilance Commission revealed that former Principal Khalilur Rehman swindled a huge amount of fund sanctioned by the UGC without executing any work, informed a well placed source.
The Vigilance Commission has already directed the Higher Education Commissioner to recover Rs 83,32,085 from Khalilur Rehman under the Manipur Public Servant Personal Liability Act.
Sanction order and allotment letter for the period 2006-2012 issued by the UGC North East Region, Guwahati office Deputy Secretary for infrastructure development, improvement of student amenities, games and sports and scholarship were delivered to Lilong Haoreibi College in June 2013 .
The amounts sanctioned to the college as per the UGC's sanction letter were Rs 20,00,000 (first instalment) for construction of women's hostel, Rs 16,00,000 (second instalment) for construction of women's hostel and Rs 22,50,000 for indoor sports and equipment, Rs 18,30,000 for purchasing slide projector, multimedia projector, portable overhead projector, white boards, computer sets, transformer and generator set, Rs 3,00,000 for extension of computer room, Rs 11,82,085 for purchasing audio-visual teaching aid and reprographics, Rs 1,86,00 for purchasing books, journal and other equipments, Rs 40,000 for college development, Rs 3,50,000 as additional grant for common room and for construction of toilets for women and Rs 47,34,000 for opening UGC resource centre.
These amounts were deposited against a bank account opened at SBI Secretariat branch and this particular bank account was operated by the then Principal alone.
When these amounts were released Md Khalilur Rehman was the Principal-in-charge of the college and he could not produce any document in support of executing the works listed in the UGC's sanction letter.
Nonetheless, it was found that a complaint was filed at Lilong police station alleging that some documents have been stolen/mutilated by unidentified persons.
On examining the incumbent Principal and some Heads of Departments, it was established that Md Khalilur Rehman received Rs 1,44,78,085 from the UGC and he also submitted utilization certificate.
On further investigation, it was also established that Rs 83,32,085 were swindled without doing any work.
Subsequently, the Vigilance Commission recommended the State Government to activate a high power committee in order to recover the same amount from the former Principal-in-charge under the Manipur Public Servant Personal Liability Act.
Meanwhile, it is reported that a sum of Rs 20,11,272 withdrawn from the account of Agriculture Department when there was a complete ban on withdrawal of funds has been recovered by the high power committee.
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