March 05, 2008	Wednesday	Safar 26, 1429

DADU, March 4: The vice-chancellor of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) on Tuesday transferred two officials of the university’s finance department after an enquiry committee found that they were involved in the embezzlement of stipends funds.

The committee formed by VC Prof Naushad Ahmed Shaikh to look into charges of embezzlement found that the officials Abdul Qadeer Qureshi and Rao Sagheer first credited to four postgraduate students’ accounts an amount exceeding their stipend limit and then asked them to return it.

The students appeared before the committee and gave evidence about the scam.

Dr Quratul Ain, a student of master of Dermatology, said in her statement that after Rs251,900, which was in excess of her stipend, had been credited to her account, she was supposed to issue cheques for the total amount to Abdul Qadeer Qureshi, who would have retained the excess amount and given her back what was her due.

Dr Rizwana, a student of MS (gynaecology and obstetrics), said that she was contacted by Rao Sagheer after she received Rs162,630 as stipend who told her that she had received excess amount due to some technical fault and asked her to return it. She did so by drawing the money from an ATM, she said.

Rao Sagheer contacted her again after a few months and repeated the request to return the excess amount. She asked him for a receipt of the amount but he refused and threatened her of dire consequences when she asked him not to do this in future again, she said.

The committee also recorded statements of Dr Saleemullah and Dr Roomi Memon who had received Rs301,500 and Rs120,000, respectively. The students should be directed to refund the excess amount and disciplinary action should be initiated against them according to the postgraduate disciplinary rules, said the committee.The committee recommended stern disciplinary action against the two officials and said they should be awarded major penalty under the Removal from Services (special power) Ordinance 2000.

Director of Student Affairs Dr Khadim Hussain Lakhair, who headed the committee, said that the finance department had issued letters to the four students requesting them to refund the amount. The two officials had embezzled a total of Rs836,030, he said.

Abdul Qadeer Qureshi said that the director of finance had accused him of embezzlement in stipends because he had a grudge against him and denied involvement in the scam.

The enquiry committee comprised director of Student Affairs Dr Khadim Hussain Lakhair (chairman), director of Finance Department Mohammad Ali Memon, system administrator of the Information Technology Department Mohammad Ali Bohio and Deputy Registrar Dr Pir Ali Mohammad Qureshi (members).