FIR against Tezpur varsity VC for financial irregularities

Guwahati, Aug 6: A police complaint was lodged against Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Tezpur University by Assam Agricultural Authorities (AAU) at Jorhat yesterday for alleged financial irregularities during his term at the AAU.

AAU sources informed that Vice-Chancellor P C Deka had allegedly committed financial irregularities when he was the Dean of AAU from 1999 to 2004.

The AAU had filed the FIR at Jorhat police station on charges that the then-Dean had opened a bank account in AAU's name without taking the requisite permission and had not informed the authorities in due course.

He had opened an account at the Jorhat branch of United Bank of India and deposited a cheque of Rs 32 lakh, paid by the ONGC for a research project at the agricultural university.

The matter came to light in November last year when the AAU approached the ONGC for the amount and the latter informed that the money had already been paid during the tenure of Dr Deka.

The VC and Registrar of AAU sought the advice of Governor Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh, who is the Chancellor of the AAU, and acting on his advice, the FIR was lodged yesterday.

The Tezpur varsity VC was reported to have left for Guwahati last night. He is expected to meet the Governor and present his explanation in the matter.

The police team from Jorhat, which is investigating the matter, are expected to arrive at Tezpur tomorrow.

UNI