DVAC books Bharathiar University's former V-C, 15 others
To evade approval of the syndicate, Ganapathy approved the purchase of computers to the value of Rs 84,57,120 through 19 tenders on various dates
DTNEXT Bureau
Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption
COIMBATORE: Former vice-chancellor of Bharathiar University, A Ganapathy, and 15 others have been booked by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for alleged irregularities in the purchase of computers to various departments.
During his tenure as V-C from March 3, 2016, to February 2, 2018, Ganapathy colluded with others, causing wrongful loss of Rs 8,01,581 to the government exchequer in the purchase of desktop computers, UPS and other materials.
To evade approval of the syndicate, Ganapathy approved the purchase of computers to the value of Rs 84,57,120 through 19 tenders on various dates. “If the purchase was made through a single tender, a substantial total loss of Rs 8,01,581 to Bharathiar University could have been prevented,” said a DVAC official.
To purchase 41 desktop computers, a server, UPS with inbuilt batteries and networking accessories for the establishment of the phonetic lab in the Linguistics Department, the purchase committee recommended a bidder M/s I Care in Coimbatore, who quoted the highest rate among three other bidders.
“Each computer's cost Rs 11,463 higher than the ElCOT procured ones, causing a loss of Rs 4,69,983 towards the purchase of 41 computers in December 2017. Similarly, the UPS was Rs 1,01,258 costlier than ELCOT purchased UPS,” police said.
Similarly, a loss of Rs 2,30,340 was caused toward the purchase of 20 desktops for the Department of Statistics in September 2017 by awarding the tender to the highest bidder, M/s Micro Systems in Coimbatore. In both cases, after calling for tenders, the bidders were called for negotiation, which is against section 10(3) of the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tender Act, 1998.
The DVAC recently registered a case under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against 16 persons, including senior academics, heads of department, as well as R Rajinikanth, who owns both Micro Systems and M/s I Care in Ram Nagar in Coimbatore.
Ganapathy was already arrested by DVAC in 2018 in a cash for jobs scam in Bharathiar University.