DADU, Oct 3: A special audit team has detected financial irregularities and procedural lapses in utilization of government funds to the tune of Rs82.136 during 1991 to 2000 in the account of a college in Jamshoro.

The team was constituted by Auditor General Manzoor Hussain.

The audit report was also submitted to the Sindh government.

The team found procedural irregularities, violations of rules and financial indiscipline in the account of the Liaquat Medical College (LMC).

The team submitted in its report that Rs4.930 million was recoverable from officials concerned, Rs53.371 million was utilized in violation of rules and record was not produced and funds amounting to Rs23.835 million was mis-utilized.

More than Rs70 million in the head of tuition fees has not been properly accounted for under the self-finance schemes and spent on “imaginary” bills on transport, repair of vehicles, POL and functions.

Income tax has also not been recovered from the contractor.

The audit report shows unauthorized expenditures from self-finance schemes of Rs1.01 million is incurred on instruments of which the rates are high.

Three ECG machines were purchased which show the rates of Rs57,000, Rs70,000 and Rs80,000.

There are also other instruments whose rates are very high and were purchased for the college.

The report also observes an expenditure of Rs1.222 million is incurred on account of pay of class III and IV employees during the year 1994-95 but transactions are not recorded in the cash book as required under rules.

It shows irregular purchase of four computers at expensive rate of Rs0.672 million.

The team reported Rs4.684 million was shown paid to students on account of scholarship but the relevant accounts record — sanctions of the competent authority, paid vouchers, acknowledgements receipts and attendance certificates — were not produced to audit.

Some agencies are reported to have started investigation against the administrative officials of the institution.

When this correspondent contacted on telephone the vice chancellor of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Prof Jan Mohammad Memon, he was not available.

An official in the vice chancellor secretariat said Prof Memon had gone to Islamabad in connection with some inquiry.