A three-member team of the State Higher Education Department has reached the Sambalpur University to inquire into the financial irregularity of Rs 30 lakh by none other than Vice-Chancellor Sanjiv Mittal.

The office of the Chancellor, after getting frequent allegations against the VC of Sambalpur University and embezzlement of Rs 30 lakh in particular, has asked the Higher Education Department to conduct the inquiry.

Accordingly, three senior officers from the department, Additional Secretary Birendra Karkara, Financial Advisor cum Additional Secretary Manoranjan Nayak  and IAO cum Under Secretary Puspit Swain are inquiring into the matter.

However, the university officials are trying their best to keep the matter a secret and all the senior officials are tightlipped on the issue.

The investigation will continue for two days and findings will be submitted to the Chancellor of Universities and State Governor Dr Ganeshi Lal.

It needs to be mentioned here that the VC Sanjib Mittal has become controversial since the day he joined here. Self immolation of Dinabandhu Mishra, burning of valuable and old books from library, chopping of large numbers of trees from campus, purchase of old computers at higher prices, transfer of funds from LR Law College to university funds, frequent misbehaviour to staff are a series of allegations levelled against him. Even two senior officers from the State Government being disgusted with unlawful activities of the VC preferred to go back to their parent departments to avoid a tug of war with the VC.

And the most important is, being an educationist and a Vice Chancellor, Mittal is continuing in office by virtue of an anticipatory bail from the Orissa High Court. Even the State Government, Higher Education department and the office of the Chancellor are being blamed for the VC for providing protection to his unlawful activities from the beginning.