The Kangleipak Kanba Lup, Manipur has alleged that Rs 5.17 crore of National Sports University’s funds has been swindled by officials of Hindustan Steelworks Construction Ltd (HSCL) in connivance with the authorities of the Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS), government of India for preparation of the NSU site.
In connection with the alleged scam, KKL, Manipur has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 1 to order a CBI probe into the scam and scandals first and to start afresh on a clean site.
In a press meet held at KKL office located at Yambem Jupiter Centre, its secretary Ngamkheigakpa Luwang said that the swindling had taken place in the year 2017-18 when an administrative sanction was given by the YAS Ministry on April 4, 2017 for a total Rs 5.17 crore to raze an entire hillock at NSU campus at Koutruk to prepare a ground whereby the prime minister was schedule to address the public after laying the foundation stone of NSU.
The prime minister came and laid the foundation stone on March 16, 2018. He, however, did not go to Koutruk but instead laid the foundation stone at the Cricket Stadium at Luwangsangbam in Imphal, he recounted.
He said that in between August-September by the time in which the HSCL had merged with the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC), a Public Sector undertaking which had taken charge of the construction of the NSU and the bi-annual review meeting of the NSU was held in Delhi.
“The then acting vice-chancellor of the NSU and secretary (sports) of the government of India Rahul Bhatnagar presided over the meeting. During the said meeting, the NBCC representative is said to have presented the completion report of the razing of the hillock and the ground for PM Modi's meeting prepared in time and the utilisation certificate was also presented. When this was said one of the officials present in the said meeting asked the NBCC official to furnish a copy of the Notice inviting Tender for the said work and to give the name of the Contractor/Firm to whom the work was awarded to for the razing of the hillock and preparation of the ground,” he said charging that the NBCC official was unable to do so simply because the work was executed on paper only.
“The truth of the matter is that the NBCC officials in connivance with the YAS government of India authorities had taken a photograph of a ground already constructed by the state PWD in Koutruk and shown it as the actual work done for the Rs.5.17 Crores sanctioned for the purpose,” he alleged.
Further saying that the involvement of Rahul Bhatnagar became clear when he drew up the "Minutes” of the meeting in which the question of misutilisation of the Rs.5.17 Crores was not mentioned at all, he continued that Bhatnagar was replaced by R S Juliani as the Secretary YAS GOI and the acting VC of the NSU Juiliani did not even convene a single review meeting thereafter.
“Apart from these two the role of S S Tomar then Deputy Secretary of the YAS GOI and the person who had signed the administrative order for the sanction of the Rs.5.17 Crores and a frequent visitor to Imphal is also suspected. Also the role of R.K.Shrivasthava the point man of the HSCL and a man who was in charge of the entire North East based in Guwahati has also been pointed out to the PM. Former Managing Director of the HSCL Moyukh Bhaduri who is already facing a CBI case for having accepted a bribe of Rs.1 Crore from Contractors for awarding of Contract works in the NSU has also been pointed out as he was in office when the scam was floated. It was also urged to include in the scope of the CBI investigation the role played by the former dean of the NSU,Jayshree Acharya who had appointed Visiting Faculty members without advertisements flouting prescribed UGC norms and guidelines and had made purchases without floating tenders,” Kangleingakpa said.
The KKL also pointed out that the present Vice-Chancellor of the SNU R.C. Mishra IAS (rtd) is but a former Civil Servant with little or no experience in Sports Sciences, Sports Management, Sports Coaching, Sports Psychology and Sports Medicine. As such, we had also endorsed the recommendation of the Manipur Olympic Association to appoint internationally renowned sports scientist and academician Dr.GL Khanna to the post of Pro-Vice Chancellor of the NSU, he added.
He continued that there were two Manipuris present in the NSU during the initial days and they are retired IAS K Radhakumar as the Registrar and Major Yambem Angamba Singh (Rtd) as the Deputy Project Director of the NSU.
Radhakumar had submitted his resignation as the authorities of the NSU paid no heed to his complaints relating to the misdeeds of Jayshree Acharya former Dean and the services of Major Angamba who was serving on a Contract basis was not extended since last year. Also amongst the Manipuris who had applied for the post of the VC of the NSU were Lt.General Konsam Himalaya Singh (Rtd) and Hawaibam Dileep Singh IAS (Rtd.), said Ngamkheingakpa.
He further demanded that having given 300 plus acres of land for the Construction of the NSU there should be at least two representatives in the final decision making body of the NSU, one from the side of the government of Manipur and another from amongst the sportspersons or general public of Manipur.
The National Sports University was first established to give a quantum leap to Indian sportspersons so that they may bring laurels to the country in various disciplines in international sporting events like the Asian, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the Olympics. Manipur was given the singular honour of having the NSU established here in recognition of her contribution in the realm of sports worldwide. But for it to start functioning in its full assigned task it would need to clear up its muck first, he added.
