Ghost workers in Punjabi University's security wing: Employees
Patiala, November 23
Fresh allegations of misappropriation of funds with marking of wrong attendance have emerged from Punjabi University’s security department. The university’s security employees have raised the matter and written to the administration, seeking action.
The employees who approached the administration said the university was paying salaries to individuals who have never worked at the university. An employee said, “It is a matter of corruption. The security office uses
two attendance registers, one for temporary marking of attendance and the other for final marking. A number of individuals who have never worked at the university were marked present in the register showing the final attendance of employees. This register is pulled
out only at the end of every month.”
The employees alleged that the same had been going on since 2013, when the university had started hiring contractual staff.
“A senior security officer’s son lives abroad, but he was marked present and paid monthly salaries and medical expenses by the university through an outsourcing company for nine years. Another person at the official’s house was also paid salary by the same means,” said Arvinder Singh, a security worker.
He said, “We have complained to the university officials twice. We had submitted a letter to the Vice-Chancellor (VC) a month ago and have raised the matter with him today as well.”
The security workers said they had the details of the payments made to the contractual workers through the private company.
When contacted, the university security in-charge, Captain Gurtej Singh, said his office had not received any complaint regarding the matter. He added that the university had absorbed all outsourced workers in its system by December 2021. He said, “The workers are now paid directly by the university.” He added that the university had a clear system of marking attendance.
VC Prof Arvind said he had already marked an inquiry into the matter to the Dean, Academics.
