VC denies bribery charge, defends son

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 27

Two days after the arrest of his son Anantpreet Singh in the Bihar Staff Selection Commission paper leak case, Dr AS Brar, the outgoing Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, today clarified his stance on the issue and the allegations of corrupt practices being made against him.

Talking to The Tribune from Gurugram over the phone, Dr Brar said his son ran his own business and had no link with GNDU in any way. Earlier citing his son’s ill-health, Dr Brar had submitted his resignation to the Punjab Governor after the formation of the Congress government.

Following the arrest of Anantpreet, the GNDU Teachers Association has alleged that several irregularities were committed by the VC in the past eight years.

It urged the government to investigate the utilisation of funds of the Aadhar Welfare Society which was formed by him and his wife to run Progressive Educational Society to provide free JEE/IIT coaching to poor students.

It also alleged that the VC got question papers and sheets reprinted from outside instead of the press and publication department of the university.

Dr Brar dismissed the charges, saying the matter was pending in the High Court. He said the question papers and sheets were printed from a Lucknow firm after calling proper tenders. The CAG has cleared all audits from 2010-15.