National Def Academy principal, others booked for appointment ‘irregularities’

The CBI has booked the principal of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and four other faculty members besides unidentified others for alleged irregularities in the selection and appointment of teaching staff in the prestigious institute for training budding military officers.

Dr. Om Prakash Shukla, the principal, has been charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption in selection/appointment of teaching faculty in NDA.  Also, cases have been registered against a professor of political science, assistant professor of chemistry, mathematics, head of chemistry department. The NDA is an elite armed forces training centre for budding military officers of the country.

The CBI conducted searches at the NDA premises, including offices and residences of the accused in Pune in connection with the case. The FIR is also against unknown officials of Ministry of Defence, UPSC and NDA.

There were complaints that seniors teaching staff had flouted the rules and approved Academic Performance Indicators (API) score of applicants. The API score was fraudulently approved and sent for an approval to UPSC. On the basis of approved API score, Union Public Service Commission had appointed the professors and associate professors. The accused principal and professors allegedly sent less than qualified candidates to the UPSC for approval.

According to CBI, Shukla, one of the senior most NDA professors in the country, has been principal of the institute since 2011. The alleged corruption in appointments started way back in 2007, when he applied for the post of professor.  Dr Jagmohan Mehar Professor Political Science, Dr Vanita Puri, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Dr Rajeev Bansal Associate Professor of Mathematics are also named in the CBI FIR.

"A case has been registered under sections 120B, 420, 465, 471 of IPC and 13(2)r/w 13(1)(d)of IPC Act 1988 against Principal and others on the allegations of irregularities in the appointment for different posts in NDA," CBI officials said.

"The false and exaggerated teaching experience claimed by Dr Shukla was not verified by the (defence ministry) before he was appointed," the complaint says.