Allegations of financial misconduct surface against SPU-Mandi’s Controller of Examination Suneel Verma
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Accused of concealing crucial information on retirement for availing extra perks
MANDI: Sardar Patel University-Mandi finds itself embroiled in a controversy following allegations against Sunil Verma, who currently serves as the Controller of Examinations.
Verma, who joined the university in 2022, is accused of withholding crucial information about his retirement from his previous role as the Joint Director of Technical Education in Sundernagar.
Sources said Verma retired from the Technical Education Department in August 2023, yet he allegedly concealed the fact from Sardar Patel University (SPU) officials for nearly a year.
During this period, he reportedly received full salary payments from the university, which would typically be restricted to 40 per cent of his basic salary post-retirement. Additionally, Verma had already availed retirement benefits estimated at around Rs 1 crore.
The university’s finance department is now seeking to recover approximately Rs 11 lakh from Verma. Furthermore, he has allegedly claimed reimbursement for medical bills amounting to lakhs, which legally should be covered by his parent organisation rather than the SPU. There are also claims that Verma fraudulently increased his leave encashment from 150 days to 300 days, thereby receiving an excess of approximately Rs 15 lakh.
Attempts to contact the university’s finance officer for a statement were unsuccessful as they declined to comment. Reports suggest Verma is currently receiving a pension of Rs 1,05,000 from the Technical Education Department and is drawing a monthly salary of nearly Rs 2 lakh from the SPU, despite being eligible only for Rs 80,000. This discrepancy arises from his failure to disclose his retirement status, allowing him to unjustly benefit financially.
The revelations were reportedly brought to light by finance department officials, who have since suspended Verma’s salary. Despite this, Verma is believed to have close ties with the university’s Vice-Chancellor, raising concerns about possible undue influence on the finance department to reinstate his salary. The controversy has prompted some finance officers to take leave, highlighting the internal pressure within the university.
Beyond the financial allegations, questions are being raised about Verma’s appointment as the university’s Registrar, a position for which the Vice-Chancellor allegedly did not have the authority to appoint him. Verma has also been assigned to lead several key committees, bypassing more senior faculty members, which some attribute to the Vice-Chancellor’s favoritism.
When approached for a comment, the Vice-Chancellor was reportedly unavailable due to a personal bereavement. As the situation develops, the allegations against Verma continue to cast a shadow over Sardar Patel University, with calls for transparency and accountability from the academic community and beyond.
