SAD leader accuses Faridkot varsity VC of financial irregularities, latter mulling filing defamation case
Bathinda: SAD leader Parambans Singh Romana has accused the VC of Faridkot's Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Rajiv Sood, of financial irregularities and nepotism, among other charges.
Speaking to the media in Faridkot Monday, Romana alleged that Sood has appointed his wife, son and relatives to different posts in the university, turning it into his fiefdom. He also accused him of bypassing the tendering process for certain works, and demanded an independent probe to get to the bottom of the issue, or the party would approach the high court.
He said Rs 90 lakh was paid for the renovation of a 750 KLD sewage treatment plant (STP) when a top-of-the-line STP of a similar capacity cost only Rs 20 lakh.
To bypass tendering, a work order to renovate the senate hall was given for Rs 80 lakh but in small chunks of less than Rs 5 lakh each. "Even the PET scan secured by the nuclear medicine department was not purchased directly from Siemens, as is done by the PGIMER, Chandigarh, but through a middleman," Romana alleged.
Earlier, some people from Faridkot, including an AAP leader, had complained about financial irregularities in BFUHS under the present VC.
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Vigilance sleuths visited the university two days ago for an investigation.
When contacted, VC Sood called the allegations baseless and said he is in touch with the state govt to take a legal recourse. Speaking to TOI, the VC said he formed a panel of 30 people — experts in different fields — to give advice on various issues, and his wife and son are acting as advisors without receiving any wages. They were working in an honorary capacity, not as employees, but as some sort of advisors. All the works are being undertaken as per law through the tendering process, and anybody can check the floating of tenders.
Regarding claims of a top-of-the-line STP needed in the university costing only Rs 20 lakh, he is ready to order it. He said, "I am consulting the state govt and counsels to file a defamation case."
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