FIR against PTU on court's order for illegal admissions

An FIR has been registered against state-run Punjab Technical University (PTU) on the orders of a Delhi court for allegedly admitting students for distance learning programmes without necessary approval from the Distance Education Council.
The FIR came to be registered on the order of chief metropolitan magistrate Vidya Prakash who had directed the DCP, Crime Branch of Delhi Police to lodge a case.
The court passed the order on a complaint by one Vinay Kumar, who had alleged that he was lured to seek admission in DCA course from PTU and also deposited Rs 8,200 on the basis of admission notice on its website even as the varsity did not have the requisite approval from the Centre to offer courses for distance learning.

The complaint had been made against PTU Vice-Chancellor Rajneesh Arora, and its five other officials and employees engaged in managing its day-to-day affairs.
Kumar said in his complaint that "despite lacking approval various courses had been offered to students at large with dishonest intention and lakhs of Rupees have been collected in this fashion and siphoned off by the accused in fictitious bank accounts."
The court said, "It is quite apparent that letter dated October 12, 2012, was issued by Distance Education Council (IGNOU) to PTU that the recognition accorded to said varsity was up to 2011-2012 and�its�application for renewal of recognition of programmes offered through distance mode was under process at the end of DEC and PTU had been advised that no fresh admission should�be�allowed�till decision is taken by DEC in this regard."

It agreed with complainant's submission that "the act of the varsity may have wider ramifications and possibility of large number of students being induced to get themselves admitted in various courses offered by them in their study centres in Delhi after collecting huge amount cannot�be�ruled out".