CBI files case against former Aligarh Muslim University VC

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a case against former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Naseem Ahmad in connection with alleged irregularities and cheating in the appointment of an assistant finance officer - Shakaib Arsalan in 2005.
CBI probe comes nearly 10 years after Ahmad had resigned from the position in 2007. He was the vice chancellor between 2002 and 2007.

The case pertains to the appointment of Shakaib Arsalan as Assistant Finance Officer in the AMU in 2005 in alleged violation of provisions of the AMU Act and rules.

Ahmad, Arsalan (now Joint Finance Officer) and Yasmeen Jalal Beg (finance officer) have been charged by CBI for criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and prevention of corruption act.

A Preliminary Enquiry conducted by CBI revealed that the vacancy for the post of assistant finance officer and deputy finance officer were advertised by the AMU on January 1, 2004 for which 22 candidates had applied. Among the 22 candidates, nine were found to be eligible for the post of the AFO which did not include Arsalan.

Arsalan submitted a representation that his degree of Chartered Accountant is not being considered equivalent to a post-graduate degree in the shortlisting process whereas an AMU notification recognises these degrees as equivalent. He requested for his consideration for the interview held on February 3, 2005.

The then Deputy Finance Officer Yasmeen Jalal Beg allegedly in violation of laid down procedure recommended the candidature of Arsalan for interview on the grounds that CA degree is the optimum qualification for any finance person and if a CA has applied for the position of the AFO, he will be an asset for the department.

It has surfaced during the CBI enquiry that Beg had put the note even though the file was not marked to her, the CBI alleged. The note was forwarded through registrar and approved by Vice-Chancellor Naseem Ahmad, it alleged.

Arsalan in his representation had concealed that he scored less that 55 per cent marks in CA examination and misled the officials by enclosing his part one marksheet which showed 55 per cent marks, says CBI. Beg concealed that there was one more candidate with a CA degree and recommended Arsalan's candidature as part of the "criminal conspiracy" and based on the interview Arsalan's was one of the three candidates recommended for the position of AFO which was approved by the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of the Executive Council.

The CBI found that the vice chancellor can use special powers on behalf of the Executive Council of the University but such decisions mandatorily should be reported to the Council which was not done in the meeting held on October 4, 2005, the FIR alleged.