CAG flags Jayashankar University paying for Smitha Sabharwal’s car

Hyderabad:The Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) of India flagged payment of bills by the Prof. Jayashankar Agriculture University for a four-wheeler being used by Smitha Sabharwal during her stint as additional secretary in the Chief Minister Office during the tenure of then CM K. Chandrashekar Rao.

The audit found that the payment was against norms and raised serious objections while conducting the audit of university accounts. The university had paid `61 lakh for the car. The university after due internal scrutiny will likely serve her notice for the recovery of the amount.

Sabharwal is currently tourism secretary. The university admitted that the CAG audit found 10 major discrepancies in its records including payment of bills for a four-wheeler.

The university had paid the bills for the vehicle bearing registration number TS08 EC 6345 which was being used by Sabharwal for 90 months from October 2016 to March 2024, at a rate of `63,000 per month. The university had paid the bills upon a letter sent by Sabharwal’s office.

Talking to Deccan Chronicle, Prof. Aldas Janaiah, Vice-Chancellor of Prof Jayashankar Agriculture University admitted that the audit found 10 major discrepancies including payment of rent for the vehicle being used by her. The university will go through internal scrutiny of each item, take legal opinion and inform the government and take necessary steps.

The issue was also brought to the notice of the university management committee, he said.

It was found that the vehicle being used by Sabharwal was not a ‘yellow plate’ (taxi) vehicle, but a ‘white plate’ (personal) vehicle in the name of one Pavan Kumar. On getting payment receipts from the office of Sabharwal, the university’s accounts department paid the amount every month.