The College of Engineering Pune (COEP) Technological University has finally taken action after receiving an order from the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) to form an inquiry committee. The committee will investigate the alleged misuse of funds by the university’s former director, B.B. Ahuja. This decision comes after Mirror highlighted the issue in its June 22nd edition and subsequent reminders from the DTE. The three-member panel, consisting of two internal faculty members and an accounts and finance officer, was constituted by the varsity registrar, D.N. Sonawane.
The committee, headed by N.K. Chaugule as the member secretary, issued a notice to Ahuja on July 4th, summoning him to appear before the committee on July 5th. Ahuja was asked to provide the necessary documents and explain all allegations against him in writing. The committee’s final report will be submitted to the DTE for further action, which may include the filing of an FIR against Ahuja. As per an anonymous source, Dr. Ahuja appeared before the committee members on July 5th as instructed and submitted his written clarification along with supporting documents. The report is currently being compiled.
The inquiry panel consists of M.J. Rathod, COEP’s accounts and finance officer, N.K. Chaugule, Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Pradip Deshmukh, Head of Department of Computer Engineering. Mirror attempted to reach acting Vice-Chancellor Dr. S.D. Agashe and Joint Director of DTE, Pune Division, D.T. Jadhav for comments, but they were unavailable at the time.
Allegations against the former director include the illegal appointment of nine associate professors between 2007 and 2011. Furthermore, 77 institutional appointments of teachers were made at COEP between 2007 and 2018, with salaries being paid from the government treasury. Despite the Bombay High Court’s order to cancel the appointment of 54 teachers on February 28, 2019, they continued to receive salaries and other benefits until the irregularities were exposed.
Additionally, despite receiving grants from the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) for postgraduate teaching posts between 2004 and 2008, the salaries were paid from the government treasury. The Directorate of Technical Education Mumbai had been instructed not to fill any posts on a contract basis, but adjunct faculty positions were created and filled. Moreover, work for EAGLE training was awarded without initiating tenders.
The establishment of the inquiry panel reflects COEP’s commitment to transparency and accountability. The investigation will shed light on the alleged financial irregularities and determine appropriate actions to rectify the situation. It is essential for institutions to uphold ethical practices and ensure the proper utilization of funds to maintain trust and credibility among stakeholders.
As the inquiry progresses and the report is submitted to the DTE, it is expected that further steps will be taken based on the findings. The authorities involved will ensure that justice is served and appropriate measures are implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.
