despite a panel probing charges of corruption against him found the VC guilty of financial irregularities.
The government has preconceived notion that any action against him would antagonize the minority community in the country.
The panel composed of Justice (Retd) AN Divecha and Justice (Retd) BA Khan submitted its report to HRD minister Kapil Sibal Monday afternoon.
Speaking to media persons in an informal discussion at his office, HRD minister Kapil Sibal confirmed about the submission of the report but refused to comment on the future course of action. “It is very difficult to contemplate anything these days,” said Sibal.
While Justice Divecha has found Aziz guilty of most of the allegations of corruption, Justice Khan has given a mixed finding. Both the judges have filed separate reports which were submitted to the HRD ministry in a sealed cover.
Earlier, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had also indicted the University of several irregularities.
In the hard hitting report, Justice Divecha has not only found fault with Aziz, but has commented on the role of his advocate Ejaz Maqbool. As per the report, Maqbool tried to unnecessarily delay the probe so that Aziz completes his term as Vice Chancellor of AMU, sources privy to the report said. Earlier, Justice Divecha has offered to resign from the panel accusing Maqbool of giving wrong information regarding the hearing of this matter during the probe.
Aziz is accused of misusing public money by overcharging his bills, claiming false traveling and other allowances, and paying his personal taxes from university funds. The fraud apparently goes in several lakhs of rupees.
Justice Khan reportedly found fault with Aziz in the allegations relating to Travel Expenses of nearly Rs 5 lakh in one year, like (i) he committed a grave financial irregularity by charging the university TA/DA of Rs 81,654 on his first joining the university as the VC as expenses for four persons, i.e., his wife, two children and himself coming from Kerala, (ii) he got sanctioned Rs 93,053 under Home Travel Concession for sending his family of three persons to Kerala, (iii) visited JMI as Chief Guest of 26th All India ASLI Conference for which he charged fare via Cochin and claimed TA/DA of Rs 64,143 and taxi charges of Rs 12,797 hired in Cochin.
However, Justice Khan reportedly says in the report that such methods have been applied by other vice chancellors in the past as well.
It may be noted that the panel to investigate charges of corruption against Aziz was formed two years ago. The previous panel composed of Justice (Retd.) Fakruddin and former Civil Aviation Secretary A. H. Jung had to be abolished due to differences among the panel members. Then also, it was alleged that “some vested interest” tried to scuttle the probe by involving the panel members in the internal politics of AMU. After lot of criticism, the new panel of Justice Divecha and Justice Khan was formed. This panel was also criticised of becoming victim of the politics played by pro and anti camps of the Vice Chancellor. Finally, HRD minister Kapil Sibal had to put a two-month deadline to complete the probe.
A senior AMU observer who was once president of the AMU Students Union said: “Had this happened in any other university, the vice chancellor would have been immediately sacked. Fair probe cannot happen against the person if he is heading that institution. But the government will never take any action here because action against any individual in AMU is made out to be action against Muslims. This is the root-cause of rampant corruption in AMU.”