The development comes days after Dr Kamaljit Lakhtariya, an associate professor and coordinator of the animation department at GU, was arrested by the Crime Branch from Rajkot Saturday.
At least 10 people were questioned Wednesday by the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) of Ahmedabad City Police that is investigating a case of misappropriation of public funds and fraud to the tune of Rs 4.09 crore at Gujarat University.
Those interrogated Wednesday included members of the Advisory Board of the Animation Department as well as former and current top officials of the university.
He was arrested months after his suspension from the university in line with an internal investigation related to the alleged embezzlement of Rs1.15 from the department’s bank account, apart from other charges, including non-payment of Rs 4.09 crore as part of an MoU, to the university.
He was arrested months after his suspension from the university in line with an internal investigation related to the alleged embezzlement of Rs1.15 from the department’s bank account, apart from other charges, including non-payment of Rs 4.09 crore as part of an MoU, to the university.
An official told The Indian Express, “We are currently analysing bank details, audit reports and committee reports in this case. We have called in about 10 people for questioning so far, including members of the department’s advisory board whose job was to oversee its functioning”.
Nobody apart from Dr Lakhtariya has so far been detained or arrested in the case. Dr Lakhtariya had allegedly transferred money into the bank accounts of his relatives and the Crime Branch is looking into the matter.
Dr Lakhtariya was produced in court after the arrest and the Crime Branch had received his remand, which ends Thursday. The Crime Branch is likely to ask for an extension of his remand.
The first information report (FIR) against Dr Lakhtariya was filed based on a complaint by Dr Ajay Arun Das, who is a faculty member at the Centre for Professional Courses (Animation).
The FIR states that between 2021 and August 2023, Dr Lakhtariya had allegedly transferred Rs 1,15,15,053 from the bank account of the animation department at the Kalol Branch of Kotak Mahindra Bank to his own account and that of his relatives. Further, he had not paid Rs 4,09,84,695, to GU (30% of student fees), according to an MoU, said the FIR.
He had been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant).