CBI Files Case Against Ex-JNU Professor, Others Over ₹88-Lakh Fraud Allegations

Speedy Summary

• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against A.L. ramanathan,former professor at JNU’s School of Environmental Sciences,and five others for alleged misappropriation of ₹88 lakh in research project funds.
• Additional accused include section officers Sneh R. Asiwal and Urmil Punhani, project assistant K. Murali, computer operator Ritesh Kumar, and contractual project staff Nazir Hussain.
• The case was initially registered with the Vasant Kunj North police in February 2022 after approval from the delhi Lieutenant-governor.
• Allegations involve discrepancies such as “wrong totals” in ledgers that led to excess payments across multiple projects managed by Prof. ramanathan.
• JNU’s fact-finding committee recommended vigilance action, criminal cases against implicated vendors supplying fake bills via shell companies, and blacklisting such firms.
• Utilisation certificates were reportedly manipulated; random audits have also been suggested to verify these financial records’ authenticity.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Cases involving alleged financial irregularities within prominent academic institutions like JNU highlight critical concerns regarding accountability in publicly-funded projects. At stake are public trust in science funding agencies such as the Ministry of earth Sciences and Department of Science & Technology. The reported manipulation undermines efforts to promote clarity and efficient use of resources allocated for impactful research.

The CBI’s intervention demonstrates an attempt to ensure legal scrutiny where university-level inquiries have already unearthed irregularities. It is key that recommendations like auditing utilisation certificates or blacklisting fraudulent companies be implemented not just reactively but proactively-across all similar projects nationwide-to bolster institutional integrity.Further judicial processes will likely determine culpability while possibly setting precedents on safeguarding financial governance structures within India’s education system.

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Image source: PTI