CBI searches UGC office, residence of senior official

The CBI today carried out searches at the office of the University Grants Commission (UGC) here and residence of one of its senior officials in connection with alleged corruption in All India Council of Technical Education relating to grant of recognition to private colleges.

 "The search began today at the UGC office and the house of its senior official Manju Singh and will be over by tomorrow," a senior CBI official said. Manju Singh is a Joint secretary rank official who had earlier worked in AICTE, Bangalore, on deputation.
   
CBI had on July 16 conducted searches on the premises of the top brass in Hyderabad, Bhopal, Chennai and Delhi, in connection with alleged irregularities in the national regulator for recognition to technical institutes across the country.

The UGC meanwhile said appropriate action would taken against the official on the basis report of the investigating agency. "If CBI writes to us on what they found after the raids, on the basis of the report, we will take appropriate action against the official," UGC secretary RK Chouhan said. Asked what action could be taken, he said it is too premature to tell anything on that.