Nagpur: Authorities of RTMNU are still groping in the dark over mysterious missing of over 200 coins, worth crores, from the University’s Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology a couple of years ago. As the matter came to fore, it created ripples in the university. According to rules, counting of the priceless coins is must every year. However, shockingly, the counting was reportedly not done since years.
Moreover, a report submitted by the five-member Probe Committee that was formed soon after the matter coming to light, has itself gone missing from cupboards putting the Vice Chancellor, Registrar and other authorities of RTMNU in terrible dilemma. The nasty happening forced the RTMNU bosses to take the matter into their own hands and initiate an enquiry on their own. The role of insiders into the missing of ancient coins and the probe report could not be ruled out.
The Archaeology Department has a small museum where the precious artefacts are kept for purpose of research. These coins were donated to NU by a Pavnar-based farmer, who had found them in his farm while digging way back in 1968. They included gold, silver and bronze coins of the Wakatak era. All such precious articles and coins kept in Department were registered as ‘antiquities’.
The missing of the coins came to light when the former Head of Department Pradeep Meshram retired and handed over charge to present HOD Preeti Trivedi. Upon discovery, she had lodged a complaint with Divisional Commissioner Anoop Kumar, who was then holding additional charge as VC, about the missing articles. Subsequently Kumar had constituted a five-member panel to probe the stunning incident.
After conducting an enquiry over a couple of months, the panel submitted its report to Kumar in summer 2014.
