MS University registrar suspended for fraud

The registrar of MS University, AV Gupta, has been suspended for having committed a fraud of Rs1.5 lakh with the university. Gupta had been divested of all his powers in September after a senate member had exposed the fraud.

The suspension order comes after vice chancellor Ramesh Goyal found that there were enough evidences against Gupta. "We have substantial evidences against the registrar. The evidences are really very critical so we have taken disciplinary action against him," Goyal told DNA.

The registrar, an ex-serviceman, had not disclosed to MSU the increase in his pension amount after its revision in 2006 and taken Rs2,389 more than what he should have taken every month from the university.  According to sources, Gupta joined the university as registrar on May 3, 2000 on a basic pay of Rs16,500. Since he was an ex-serviceman, his pension amount received from defence establishment was included in his gross salary of Rs39,510. While at the time of joining his pension was Rs8,827, the amount was revised to Rs11,216 in 2006.

However, Gupta didn't inform the fact to the university, as a result of which he received an extra amount of Rs2,389 from MSU every month. This means he illegally took Rs1.5 lakh from the university from 2006 to September 2009.

This scam came to light after senate member Narendra Ravat sought Gupta's salary details under an RTI application. Ravat also verified from defence establishment Gupta's current pension. When there was a discrepancy, he filed a complaint with the V-C.

When the vice chancellor sought an explanation from Gupta, the registrar said that he had not breached any norms of the university. However, the V-C called an emergency meeting and took away Gupta's powers.

Now, after a month, vice chancellor Goyal suspended Gupta. The V-C has also appointed a committee, headed by a retired judge, for a detailed investigation into the case.