While the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has directed the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) to impose a major penalty and conduct a departmental inquiry on its executive engineer, Jose Cherian for construction scam, the university has not budged an inch to take action.
The University was asked by the CBI to constitute a three-member inquiry committee and to submit a report to the CBI. Except for a resolution taken during the executive council meeting on March 14 nothing has been done on the ground.
Highland Post on April 20, 2021 had published a report, “Construction shenanigans under the spotlight in NEHU”, which pointed on how tender for replacement of feeder pillars in hostels and residential areas at an estimated cost of Rs 64.86 lakh, was awarded for higher amount than required.
Following the report, on June 28, 2021 NEHU gave its approval to CBI to initiate a preliminary inquiry against Cherian under “Section 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act (Amendment 2018).
In October the same year, the Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC), NEHU unit alleged misappropriation of funds by the Campus Development Department (CDD) under the same executive engineer stating that an additional labour cess of one per cent was entered in tender works.
The HYC said that it was recently that NEHU had sent letters to various contractors to refund the excess amount paid to them by way of labour cess.
Demanding the immediate removal of Cherian from his position until completion of the inquiry, HYC unit vice president, Rapborlang Dkhar in a letter to the Vice Chancellor said, “It is of utmost surprise that even after CBI has found the officer guilty, he still continues to occupy the chair.”
While contractors have been asked to refund the excess amount paid to them conveniently, Dkhar said the NEHU has not fixed the responsibility of the officers concerned. “One really wonders that how a house of learning has become den of corrupt people. It is high time that the University acts against the corrupt people, so as to send a message that it is really serious to eradicate corruption,” he said.
The HYC said that the University should immediately constitute the inquiry committee and to conduct an inquiry to fix responsibility on erring officers for payment of excess labour cess by July 25 or face protest.
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