The row between the Bihar government and governor over the appointment of six vice-chancellors in the state has taken a turn for the worse,with the new head selected for Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University facing three cases of fraud and bungling,amounting to Rs 10 crore. Vice-Chancellor Dr Arvind Kumar Pandey,one of the six appointed by Bihar Governor Debanand Konwar,ex-officio chancellor of universities,claims he had apprised Raj Bhavan about the pending corruption cases against him. He argues that if politicians facing serious charges can become ministers,there is nothing wrong in him becoming V-C. While I confirm all the said cases pending against me at different stages of investigation,I am not yet convicted in any of these cases, Pandey told The Indian Express. The state government,which has questioned the appointments,saying it was not consulted by the governor,claims it is against protocol to select a person facing serious charges. Raj Bhavan,however,has quoted provisions of the Bihar State Universities Act,1976,to assert that the matter is solely at the discretion of the chancellor (or the governor). With anti-corruption measures one of the main planks of CM Nitish Kumar,Pandeys appointment has acquired serious undertones. Documents available with The Indian Express show Pandey has cases of criminal conspiracy,forgery and fudging of records over the alleged illegal appointment of his sister as an astrology lecturer at MSGH Sanskrit College,Bodhgaya. Pandey was the contractual principal at the college,falling under the same university of which he is now the V-C. The complaint was filed by the Gaya district education officer,Brajesh Kumar Ojha,on June 30,2010,at the Bodhgaya Police Station. A Patna High Court order stayed Pandeys arrest in this case,but it will expire on October 18. Bodhgaya Police Station in-charge T N Tiwari said: We are in the final stages of collecting evidence against the accused. We cannot say if he will be arrested. Pandey has two other cases lodged against him,at Campus Police Station,Darbhanga,relating to financial irregularities,bungling,misuse of power and criminal conspiracy. Though he was Bodhgaya college principal at the time,Pandey shuttled between Bodhgaya and Darbhanga and doubled up as financial in-charge of Darbhanga University. On September 6,2010,the Patna High Court ordered clubbing of one case lodged at Darbhanga with the Bodhgaya case. He is also accused of misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 7 crore while he was an administrator at Sanskrit College. The fourth case against him pertains to 2006,when permission was provided to over 1,100 students to appear in the Upshastri (intermediate) examination at MSGH Sanskrit College,allegedly illegally,while he was the principal. This case was handed over to the Vigilance Investigation Bureau on October 1,2007,and is being investigated. Then Vice-Chancellor had recommended Raj Bhavan to take departmental action against Pandey on September 27,2009,in the case. However,no such action has yet been taken against him. The Gaya and Darbhanga police said the investigations against Pandey were at an advanced stage. Said Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi: The appointment of a person facing corruption cases has not only embarrassed the government but also put a big question mark on how Raj Bhavan ignored even basic protocol. Raj Bhavan officials are treading cautiously. Said a senior official: There is no written law on if a person facing cases can be appointed. It is the governor's discretion. List of cases against V-C Accused of forgery,financial irregularities,bungling,illegally allowing students to appear for an intermediate examination. In the Vigilance case against him,the V-C had ordered disciplinary action in September 2009. No such action taken. The Gaya and Darbhanga police say investigations against Pandey are at an advanced stage. A stay on his arrest by the Patna High Court expires on October 18.
