The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has ordered the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry to conduct an investigation into allegations of irregularities in the functioning of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL). The body was in the midst of a controversy this July for distributing advertisements to a single agency against norms.

The CVC has taken cognisance of complaints made by top officials alleging irregularities by the institute’s head, and ordered an investigation. “A whole set of irregularities have been pointed out in the complaints sent out to both the HRD ministry and CVC over a month back. Apart from a case of extending a contract with an IT firm, there are several other irregularities which have been pointed out and action is awaited,” said an official.

NCPUL had recently extended an agreement with an Indore-based IT firm on an ad hoc basis for some 200 centres even when no final decision was taken to renew the firm’s agreement. Earlier, there were allegations about NCPUL handing out all its advertisements to one agency against the norm of distributing it among several agencies.

On the CVC’s insistence, the HRD Ministry has now asked an official to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the allegations against the Director NCPUL and submit a report within a month. Interestingly, while these inquiries are on, it seems the Director, Dr Ali Javed, may get another extension of term. “The Director has already got as many as five extensions of term of three months each,” said an official.

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