Tainted Morris professor under Rs25cr scam probe

Nagpur: An alleged scam worth a whopping Rs25 crore by a tainted professor of Vasantrao Naik Institute of Social Science and Arts (erstwhile Morris College) has surfaced but authorities concerned have refused to divulge details of the complaint or supporting evidence submitted to them.
Professor Pramod Lakhe, who had failed to return ₹59.14 lakh to Nagpur University seven years ago, is now being investigated for the ₹25 crore scam involving alleged misappropriation of UGC and state government funds. Though authorities, including the probe panel members, said they were yet to go through the files submitted, insiders said the scam resulted in Morris College being blacklisted and UGC funds stopped in the last five to six years. The UGC had been allocating funds for seminars, conferences, competitive exams, etc to the college.

The revelation about the multi-crore scam came to fore in an RTI response furnished by the inquiring committee member to complainant Prashant Popatkar, who works in the Department of Music at Morris College.

Surprisingly, the probe panel has failed meet even once with members pulling out one after another in the last two years. Popatkar had sought explanation on the progress of investigation. In its response, the joint director of higher education office furnished its letter about the new panel. Besides Popatkar’s complaint, the brief to the two-member panel includes the Rs25 crore scam. Sandeep Mahajan of Bhrashtachar Nirmuloon Samiti, Nagpur, is the other complainant. TOI couldn’t reach Mahajan.

The disclosure has baffled even Popatkar who said he had only demanded action against Lakhe in NU exam section works.

On August 9, 2017, TOI exposed how Lakhe paid back the big amount of Rs59.14 lakh to NU after nearly six years.

Following this, Popatkar had demanded inquiry against Lakhe, whom he had accused of appropriating more funds in NU exam works.

The director of state higher education had asked the joint director at Nagpur to set up probe panel. On December 20, 2017, a four-member panel was formed to investigate charges of corruption against Lakhe. But it was dissolved after Popatkar objected to inclusion of members from the same college. Later, another panel was formed which was led by principal of Government Education College Suhas Patil and Institute of Science director AG Atram. This time, Patil pulled out citing conflict of interest.

On August 8 this year, joint director Archana Nerker replaced Patil with Institute of Forensic Science director Jairam Khobragade. However, Khobragade too has pulled out citing same reason as Patil. Khobragade had served as director of Morris College where Lakhe worked under him.

As on date, Atram is the only member left in the inquiry panel which is yet to meet. Atram said he was yet to go through the files but would call for evidence over the Rs25 crore alleged scam whenever the panel is revived.

Nerker said the complainant in Rs25 crore scam has submitted two big files but she hasn’t checked them. She also said that new panel member would be named soon.

On September 10, TOI had also reported how Lakhe continued to hold additional charge of Pre-IAS Coaching Centre at Zero Mile despite a GR prohibiting handing over such duties to tainted officials.