The Central Bureau of Investigation has charged former Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Naseem Ahmad with irregularities and cheating in the appointment of an official in 2005, PTI reported on Thursday. Ahmad was at the helm of the university from 2002 to 2007. The agency has also charged Joint Finance Officer Shakaib Arsalan and Finance Officer Yasmin Jalal Beg.

The CBI said that Ahmad violated the university’s rules by helping Arsalan get the position of assistant finance officer in 2005 though he was not eligible as he had scored less that 55% marks in his Chartered Accountant examination. Beg, who was then the deputy finance officer, violated procedures and recommended Arsalan for an interview. She did not reveal that there was one more candidate with a CA degree who had scored more than Arsalan and fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Arsalan, Beg said in a note to Ahmad, would be an asset to the department.

Arsalan was was one of the three candidates recommended for the position and Ahmad approved his appointment on behalf of the Executive Council, but did not report it to the university’s Executive Council as required.

“It has thus revealed that the then VC Naseem Ahmad though not competent to relax the qualification deviated from the advertised qualification and approved the candidature of Shakaib Arsalan,” the CBI said in its chargesheet.