The Congress-aligned APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University Staff Organisation has raised serious concerns over the alleged illegal actions by a section of Syndicate members that led to the abrupt dissolution of the Syndicate meeting without discussing the scheduled agenda on Friday.

The organisation also alleged foul play regarding the suspension of its president R. Praveen, a section officer, for alleged financial misappropriation. The disagreement between Vice-Chancellor in-charge Sivaprasad K. and the Syndicate members over discussing the issue impacted the meeting.

In a statement, organisation secretary Sumesh M.G. said Mr. Praveen, an employee in the academic wing, had never held any responsibilities in the finance wing. He claimed Mr. Praveen received an immediate allocation of the maximum amount he was entitled to from his Provident Fund after submitting a request for an advance. The decision was made by the current university registrar after reviewing the relevant documents.

At the same time, the university’s finance wing had come under scrutiny for failing to allocate Provident Fund amounts to numerous employees. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the officer in charge of the Provident Fund was absent for six months, and the finance wing reportedly operated without even maintaining a Provident Fund register, he alleged.

The situation worsened when the university’s Provident Fund accounts were not available for inspection by the State Audit Department until 2022. Moreover, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India highlighted numerous serious issues, including the improper handling of employee accounts. The audit also identified errors in the processing of Provident Fund advances, pointing to systemic failures within the university.

The staff organisation asserts that the university’s internal inquiry report contradicted the audit conclusions. It also claims that some Syndicate members took actions contrary to university rules by pushing for disciplinary proceedings on an issue not included in the agenda, while deliberately withholding the auditor’s findings from the Vice-Chancellor.