Former Gujarat University Vice Chancellor Neerja Gupta has been accused of financial irregularities and alleged misuse of university funds. The allegations have triggered protests by NSUI and led the university administration to suspend 10 employees.
The allegations surfaced after Gupta’s tenure ended, with claims of irregular appointments, excessive salaries and alleged misuse of government grants.
Allegations of Irregular Appointments
According to former syndicate member Indravijay Singh Gohil, Gupta allegedly appointed 10 people to senior positions, including director-level posts, despite UGC rules.
He further alleged that some of these appointees were paid salaries higher than that of the Vice Chancellor, with the payments reportedly being made from student fee collections.
Questions Over ₹40-Crore Government Grant
Another major allegation concerns a ₹40-crore grant received under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Programme.
It has been alleged that Gupta appointed herself as the Principal Investigator of the project and received an additional allowance of ₹4.20 lakh apart from her regular salary.
There are also allegations that ₹9.84 lakh from the grant account was transferred to the bank account of her son, who is based in Germany.
Questions have also been raised over the university’s records for more than half of the ₹40-crore grant.
NSUI Protests at University
The allegations led to a protest by Congress and NSUI workers. Around 200 NSUI members reportedly gathered at the university and protested against the former Vice Chancellor.
Protesters raised slogans against Gupta and threw fake currency notes towards the in-charge Vice Chancellor’s office.
NSUI has given the university administration a 72-hour ultimatum to register a criminal case against Gupta. The organisation has also warned of further protests if action is not taken.
10 Employees Suspended
Following the controversy, the university administration suspended all 10 employees whose appointments have been questioned.
A committee has been proposed to investigate the allegations. Further action, including possible termination and recovery of funds, will depend on the findings of the inquiry.
University Promises Investigation
In-charge Vice Chancellor Jagdish Joshi said the university had received a representation containing serious allegations of financial irregularities against the former Vice Chancellor.
He said the matter would be examined transparently and all legal aspects would be discussed with the university’s legal advisers. If required, a committee would conduct a detailed investigation.
The allegations against Neerja Gupta are yet to be established through an official inquiry.