NIPER's officiating Director refutes charges of financial loss

A day after CBI raided NIPER here, the institute's Officiating Director K K Bhutani, who has been booked along with seven others in a case of alleged corruption, today refuted the charge of causing financial loss to government exchequer, saying he will "come out clean".
"I have not done anything wrong. I refute all the charges. I have nothing to hide. We are transparent. I have full faith in the system of the country. I will come out clean," Bhutani, a senior scientist, said here while talking to media.
Yesterday, CBI registered a case of alleged corruption against officials of National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) and a private company in the purchase of licenses for accessing a global patent database software causing losses of Rs 10 crore.

Eight officials of the Mohali-based autonomous institute under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, including present officiating director, former director and other senior officials, have been booked under IPC sections relating to criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
It is alleged that the company was supplying annual licenses for accessing global patent database software 'Scifinder' at the rate of USD 36,000 to other companies while it was supplying these licenses to NIPER at the rate of USD 51,000 thus causing a loss of Rs 10 crore between 2007 and 2012.
Bhutani claimed that Scifinder was being purchased before he took over as the Officiating Director of NIPER. "The institute had been purchasing Scifinder since 2006. I was not there at that time. It was done by the previous director," he said.

He claimed that after becoming Officiating Director in 2010, he had even formed a committee to find out whether Scifinder was available at lesser rate.

"We inquired from all institutions to buy at lower rate. But we did not get it," he claimed.
Bhutani also refuted the charge of diversion of funds and
said they had received Rs 116 crore in 10 different installments from the Centre for various projects under 11th five year plan.
He accused three former faculty members of launching a campaign against him to malign his image after they were shunted out for their alleged acts of omission and commission.

He claimed three of them had lodged several complaints against the institute with CBI, CVC, CAG and other organisations.
About the reported recovery of assets and property documents from his residence during searches by CBI yesterday, he said, "I get a salary of Rs 2.5 to 3 lakh (per month) and I have some savings. There was a recovery of Rs 11 lakh as FDR out of which Rs 3 lakh was in names of my children. Have I done any crime?"
"I will emerge as clean as my assets are in public domain now," he said.
High drama was witnessed during the Officiating Director's press conference when CBI officials sent a message to him to stop it.

However, Bhutani continued with media interaction and asked CBI officials to give instructions to him in writing.
When Bhutani did not relent, CBI officials entered the venue where the media briefing was taking place and whisked him away to his office. The CBI searches were also going on today.
The press conference was organised to inform media about the silver jubilee celebrations of the NIPER to be kicked off by Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Ananth Kumar on Monday.