Punjab University: University, bank officials stole millions in exam fees

Punjab University officials and bank employees have stolen millions of rupees in exam fees deposited by thousands of BA and MA students in an unfolding scandal which the university is yet to conduct an inquiry into, The Express Tribune has learnt. Meanwhile, the exam results of hundreds of students have not been released and they face unfair means cases, which “basically means that their careers are over,” in the words of one university official. The university has detected a loss of Rs25 million in exam fees, deposited by some 6,000 BA and 2,000 MA students in 2012. When the results for the BA exams were announced in August and for the MA exams in December, the students got results cards stating that their scores would be ‘released later on’. Weeks later, students began approaching the university to complain that their results had still not been received. They were told that this was because they had not paid their exam fees of Rs3,250 for BA students and Rs3,025 for MA students. When the students then produced receipts, it became clear that some chicanery had taken place. An administration official told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity that the students had deposited their fees at the University Branch of Habib Bank Limited and got receipts. But the bank officials had not transferred the money to the university’s account. “The bank staff and some PU officials in the fee section later divided the money amongst themselves,” said the official. Some students were given receipts with bogus bank stamps. “University officials in their case took the fee and, without involving the bank, issued them receipts with forged stamps,” said the administration official.He said that before issuing roll number slips, fee section officials should have checked how much money had been transferred into the university’s account and tallied that with the number of roll number slips issued. He said that not a single university employee had been penalised yet. A senior official of the HBL University Branch told The Express Tribune that all bank staff involved in the fee scam had been transferred. He said that the bank was now transferring money to the university for students able to produce receipts showing they had paid the exam fees and who submitted applications. PU Additional Controller Ahmad Ali Chattha said so far some 600 students had received their results after the bank had transferred their exam fees to the university. Most of these were from Lahore and some were from Sheikhupura and some from Sialkot. He said unfair means cases had been initiated against the students earlier because “under the rules, we are bound to do so”. He said he had asked the treasurer to take action against the university officials involved in the scam. “So far no inquiry has been initiated,” he said. Chattha said that over Rs25 million had been embezzled out of the money deposited for the BA and MA exams in 2012, but this could have happened before. PU Acting Treasure Rao Sharif, who left his charge earlier this week after two years, said that he had discussed the matter with the vice chancellor and they had decided against lodging FIRs against the corrupt officials because then they wouldn’t be able to recover the money. “The bank is paying back the money and 90 per cent of the results have been released. Had we initiated legal action, this wouldn’t have been possible,” he said. Another university official claimed that Sharif was in possession of a video showing fee section employees and bank officials on the roof of a university building dividing some of the stolen money amongst themselves. He claimed that Sharif was protecting one of the officials involved in the scam as he was backed by a prominent politician. Sharif denied being in possession of such a video or protecting any employee. He also refused to comment on proceedings of the Punjab Assembly Standing Committee on Education at which MPAs declared his appointment as acting treasurer illegal as it had not been approved by the university’s senate or its chancellor. Muhammad Jameel Anjum, who took charge as treasurer this week, said that he was aware of the scandal. “I have just taken charge. I assure you I will look into this matter and those who are involved will not be allowed to go scot-free,” he said. PU Registrar Professor Khan Raas Masood said he was unaware of the exact situation. “Many inquiries are initiated at PU. I will see and let you know,” he said.