By Mohd Mudassir Alam,
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted its closure report related to financial irregularities allegations made against former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) VC Prof P K Abdul Azis as the agency couldn’t find anything substantial against him. During the investigation the CBI had framed charges against many codes of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Talking over phone, Prof Azis, currently Vice Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya expressed his happiness after coming clean in the allegations. Azis said, “Thanks to Almighty Allah, the CBI clean chit has come as a big relief for me since the allegations proved wrong. Thanks to agency for listening my side of story and bringing out the truth.” “I am also thankful to my well wishers for having full faith on me. Now the CBI clean chit has come I can easily take my mission for the upliftment of education ahead”, mentioned Azis.
Azis was Vice Chancellor of AMU from June 11, 2007 to January 17, 2012 and many allegations were made against him by his rivals. He was accused of allegedly committing misconduct under the AMU Act, 1920, violating the statues, directives, ordinances and regulations of the AMU Grant Commission. It was alleged that VC made the AMU pay his income tax and also violated varsity rules by transferring Rs 8 crore of Provident Fund money from the State Bank of India to Shreyas Gramin Bank. It was also alleged that varsity funds were misused for interior decoration of his residence. Sources said that 26 charges were framed against Azis out of them 17 were of administrative level. Azis had always refuted these charges.
The Union ministry of human resources and development had earlier set two probe panels against Azis, but their findings remained inconclusive. Further on request of Kapil Sibal, former Minister of human resources and development the CBI had started the investigation. The CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry in July, 2011, against Azis after it was alleged that he had flouted rules of the institution for his own benefits. Azis had also been questioned by CBI in the enquiry for allegations made against him for financial irregularities. Giving clean chit to Azis the CBI had submitted the closure report at Patiala House located court of CBI Judge Swarnakanta Sharma.
Human Chain, a Delhi based NGO having Prof Azis as its mentor has expressed happiness over the CBI clean chit. Mohammad Aslam, President Human Chain said, “Congratulations to our mentor for becoming clean in financial irregularities allegations. We knew very well that Prof Azis was innocent, but his rivals tried to malign effort by making false allegations in Union human resources and development ministry.” Further he mentioned, “the CBI probe set up by MHRD followed by two earlier probes by other agencies in which Azis already got clean chit was a big shock for development-pro Vice Chancellor. Now the things are clear before all this is a big victory for those really love the mission and vision of Sir Syed”.
(Mohd Mudassir Alam is a Delhi based Journalist, [email protected])