Key Points
The Panjab University Syndicate has demoted senior assistant Niraj Kumar for his involvement after a rickshaw puller was found taking heritage furniture out of the boys hostel without any gate pass in 2019...
In May 2019, Kumar was working as the office in-charge at the boys hostel number 5..
Inquiry officer and district and sessions judge Jagroop Singh Mahal (retired), who had been appointed by the PU authorities to probe the matter, in his report to the V-C on February 22 this year opined that Kumar had violated Rule 1.1 of the rules governing conduct of university employees and is guilty of serious misconduct under clauses (a) and (d) of Rule 15 of these rules.. The Syndicate approved this inquiry report and decided that Kumar will be demoted from his post..
Asked whether a further inquiry will be conducted against Kumar with increasing cases of heritage furniture being auctioned in other countries, a senior syndicate member said this action will be enough and Kumars role is not suspected in other cases of heritage furniture being smuggled out of PU...
The Syndicate also approved the minutes of meeting to look into the matter regarding theft of 32 lakh from Panjab University Constituent College, Nihal Singh Wala, Moga, and decided that a third-party audit will be conducted and the responsibility will be fixed..
