DUTA Press Release 19.10.2014

DUTA demands Suspension of Kirori Mal College Officiating Principal

The DUTA held a dharna at Kirori Mal College today, outside the venue of the meeting of the College Governing Body, demanding immediate start to an Inquiry into the allegations of widespread corruption and nepotism against Acting Principal S.P. Gupta in the financial and administrative matters related to the conduct of the UGC-NET Exams in 2012 and 2013. Ever since the allegations have come to light, the Staff association in KM College has been agitating on the demand for S. P. Gupta’s removal. The DUTA has also demanded that S.P. Gupta be put under suspension and a thorough and impartial probe be instituted by the Governing Body into a matter that involves misappropriation of funds to the tune of 1.5 crore rupees.

Despite repeated reminders from the University and the UGC directing it to take formal cognizance of the matter, the KM College Governing Body is yet to place it on the agenda of any meeting. Meanwhile the Court has observed that a prima facie case for investigations into the allegations of “cheating and forgery” exists and has accordingly directed the local Maurice Nagar Police Station to file an FIR against S.P. Gupta.

Under the nose of the previous Governing Body of the College, S. P. Gupta had opened a separate bank account to operate the UGC-NET fund and had employed a private person, Rajinder Mann, to manage as well as audit the accounts! This is not permissible under the general financial rules of the Government of India. Even the appointment of Rajinder Mann was done without taking approval from the UGC. An incomplete statement of accounts was submitted to the UGC after the examinations and the UGC had refused to accept it. The unspent amount from the fund is yet to be refunded to the UGC and the college has thus incurred an additional interest liability of 10% on the unspent amount. None of these decisions were taken in consultation with any bonafide official or designated authorities of the College.

Further, S.P. Gupta’s own daughter had appeared for the NET exam and he has been accused of manipulating the seating arrangements to benefit her. While the UGC has found her ineligible, Gupta manipulated the scrutiny process and ensured that she was allowed to sit for the exam. It is also a matter of investigation that out of a nation-wide total of 120 candidates who cleared the NET exam in Computer Science in 2013, 80 were from the KM College center. It will be recalled that during the 2013 exam, students had protested against mismanagement of the center and had expressed their anger by vandalising the college premises.

At the dharna, a delegation led by DUTA office bearers met members of the freshly reconstituted Governing Body and appealed to them to take the demand for Inquiry and suspension of the Acting Principal seriously. This was briefly sought to be prevented by S.P. Gupta who had called in his private security men to try and forcibly evict the DUTA members. However, this shameful ploy did not work and the Governing Body members were forced to allow the DUTA to represent its demands.

Although Kirori Mal College is a fully University-maintained college, its Governing Body continues to protect the Acting Principal S. P. Gupta. The DUTA warns the University to desist from its pattern of shielding tainted and corrupt principals. If the KM College Governing Body continues to be indifferent, the DUTA will intensify its agitation against the corrupt Acting Principal in the coming days.     

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