The owner of the Amity group of educational institutes - Ashok Kumar Chauhan - is wanted by Interpol for financial frauds committed in Germany many years ago, reports Tehelka.
Wonder why such a major story - which appeared in the magazine over a week ago - is yet to hit any other newspaper. Could the fact that Amity is a MAJOR advertiser in both print and electronic media be one of the reasons?
Incidentally, Amity tried - but failed - to 'buy out' Tehelka in more ways than one.
"First the Chauhans tried to stop the story through subtle offers of advertisement support. Thet made several phone calls and sent several Amity representatives to Tehelka saying they would like to keep copies of Tehelka on their campuses. That having failed, they offered to bear the costs of stopping the printing press. When even this did not work, they tried to buy as many copies at traffic signals and from distributors.
Deepak Sehgal, proprietor of Central News Agency (CNA) which supplies the newspaper to retailers stated that demand for the Jun 11 issue suddenly shot up in the market."
Apparently, the Delhi Police and the CBI have been sitting on an Interpol 'red corner notice' against Chauhan for years. The Ministry of External Affairs has also failed to act on an extradition request.
Tehelka implies that this may be due to the fact that 'sons and daughters of VIPS study in these institutions - and he has links in both the BJP and the Congress'.
'We nurture talent', goes the Amity promise... Maybe evading arrest from banks whom you owe millions of dollars to is one of them.
I find it difficult to understand why some news is more news than others. While the Kareena-Shahid pics and delhi school MMS were so widely published by the media, the recent MMS of an Indian actresses barely found any mention
ReplyDeleteI have serious doubts about the history of IIPM chaiman as well. He has gone over the top with his supposedly aggressive marketing of IIPM. Also the way he is foraying into film-making seems very fishy to me. Sooner or later I am expecting such a new about him too.Remember his tagline "Dare to Think Beyond IIMs" now changed to just "Dare to Think". Shame that he is a Professor.
ReplyDeleteIf the Chauhans have managed to sweep it under the carpet for this long, they should be able to walk scot-free even in the aftermath of this expose.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, it is the way of the world to brand others as criminals only if they are convicted.
Just like chauhan there r so many other fugitives staying in India and flourishing with the Govt protecting or covering up their crimes.Most of the time in case of India,Pakistan and certain countries, fugitives are caught and extradited only due to political pressure from the U.S Govt and the U.S govt wont interfere in this Interpol case just because chauhan's frauds are no where committed in the U.S while it will be long before Germany can put political pressure on India to extradite chauhan.
ReplyDeleteThere was recent case where $30 million worth of drugs were transported through a saudi prince's personal aircraft from venezuela to france The Prince escaped customs because of his diplomatic passport which gave him immunity to customs.The french authorities despite having relevant Proof were helpless when it came to demanding the saudi prince's extradition because the saudi external affairs minister threaten to not sign on certain business deals with france if the case of extraditing the prince moved any further.
The best example is our well known Indian Don Dawood Ibrahim and his cronies who are on Interpol's most wanted list and are staying in Karachi when Pakistan is denying his presence in its country
The Amity group also tried to eye wash people by using the Thought Leadership plank. They tried to sponsor articles in major business magazines. The latest BT B-School ranking has Amity ads in the inner cover. People like R Gopalakrishnan of the Tata Group should not have allowed his photo to be published in the Amity ads as it amounts to tacit support by the Tata group.
ReplyDeleteThis shows a really sad state of affairs in our country, where people with money & connections can get away scot-free with any kind of crime. Worse still, when media does not bring out such issues in the public eye, because the concerned party does regular advertisements in their newspapers/magazines. Such incidents really makes one angry but then one is helpless. We need more newspapers like Tehelka to be fearless and bring out the truth in the public eye. In a corrupt society like ours we need more investigative journalism.
ReplyDeleteIn the same context of media being bought by high-fliers( and now B-Schools)...Rashmi do check out the Business Today's B-School Rankings
2005...they are SHOCKING!!!
http://coolavenues.com/bschools/060506/bt_ranking_1.php3
B-Schools like AMITY,Alliance,KJ SOM,NM,Symbiosis have actually got better ranks than some IIM's in many categories!!!! How can magazines sell so cheap, i dont understand. When IIM's had refused to be a part of any Indian Biz magazines rankings, then how come BT has used IIM's in their list?? IIM's should sue BT for this. This is another case of a sorry state of affair in our country.
This post reminds me the movie Page-3 (the end was similar to this)
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteI think this whole thing is really unfortunate and then we talk of freedom of press.
Why does the media fail to realize the fact that they are hugely responsible for forming public opinion?
They have absolutely no right to twist the mind of the reader in whichever way they want.
I so agree and find it hard to understand why some news is more news than other. While the MMS scandal was being published, why did the media drag in the school name when they had nothing whatsoever to do with it. Sometimes there is a lot at stake.
And it is very important for the people of this country to understand that corruption would take us nowhere. Absolutely nowhere.
Its really sad...
ReplyDeleteTeachers in our Vedas have been given the status of God and this is what the imparters of education are doing today ! Miserable !
i wonder what does Rai University has in store and IIPM(Now he is even coming out with a journal for the "rich and high class" so says the ad) and zillions of other such universities running in small towns without any affiliations or accreditations from any standard educational bodies and ruining the career of innocent souls!!
Just took it as one more masala news of a high flier. One more instance of the deep rootedness of corruption in our country.
ReplyDeleteI mean it when I say that this country will go to the dogs soon if this remains the situation of its politiciansand high profile administrators...
ReplyDeleteTha fact that the CBI and the Ministry of External affairs is not doing anything to handover this man is SHOCKING!!!
absoultely Shocking...
Ashok Kumar Chauhan and Arun Kumar Chauhan, directors of Amity International committed frauds in Germany, US and Netherland. They run Law scools and Journalism schools. Perhaps, they teach the art of fraud in these schools.
ReplyDeleteDr Ashok Kumar Chauhan, the owner of the Amity group of educational institutes is wanted by Interpol for financial frauds committed in Germany many years ago, reported Tehelka in June, 2005.
Is it surprising that such a major story is yet to hit any other newspaper?.
Why should it surprise anyone?
Amity is a Advertiser in both print and electronic media and money can buy any media house be it Indian Express or NDTV or others.
Whenever there is conflict between Money and Truth, these media houses prefer the former and discard the latter.
When I went to buy the June issue of Tehelka from the stands, it was all sold out. Amity bought as many copies of Tehelka as it could to stop people from knowing the truth about its crime.
As is well known the Amity is always in the media with its advertisments claiming to be the first and largest private university in India. Institutions like Amity are teaching courses in Mass Communication.
This is contrary to University Grants Commission Act, 1956. Its Section 23 reads: 'Prohibition of the use of the word "University" in certain cases.
No institution, whether a corporate body or not,
other than a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act shall be entitled to have the word "University" associated with its name in any manner whatsoever.'
Amity was setup by Dr. Ashok K. Chauhan, Chairman of the worldwide AKC Group of Companies who went to Germany over four decades ago and established a great business empire and became one of the greatest NRI’s of Europe.
AKC Group of Companies has Industrial Organisations like Technicom-Chemie India Limited, Bacfo Pharmaceuticals India Limited, Kunstocom India Limited,
CHABRO-CHEMIE India Limited besides Amity group of educational institutions.
Amity runs courses in Communication such as Master of Advertising & Marketing Management, Master of Journalism & Communication, Master of Mass Communication, Master of Television & Film Production at its Amity School of Communication, Noida, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow.
According to the arrest warrant issued against the owners of Amity by the German judicial authorities, the Chauhan brothers fooled credit institutions and banks.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahmed, in a written reply dated May 12, to an unstarred question asked by Rajya Sabha mp RK Anand, confirmed: “…valid warrants of arrest issued by German judicial authorities against Shri Ashok Kumar Chauhan and Arun Kumar Chauhan, directors of Amity International, Ghaziabad, UP, exist and the Interpol has issued Red Corner Notices Nos. 453/1990 and 459/1998 at the request of Interpol Wiesbaden… The Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany in India has requested for legal assistance in serving documents/extradition of Ashok Kumar Chauhan and Arun Kumar Chauhan.”
The minister also stated: “As per Article 6 of the extradition treaty between the Republic of India and the Federal Republic of Germany, neither of the contracting states shall be bound to extradite its own nationals. However, as per the same article, criminal prosecution may be effected in India. Therefore, the ministry of home affairs, which is the nodal ministry in such matters has been requested to proceed in accordance with law.”
For the complete Tehelka story "Schooled in Deceit"(June 11, 2005) visit
http://tehelka.com/story_main12.asp?filename=ts061105Schooled_in.asp
Business Today's B-School Ranking Year 2005 lists AMITY, Symbiosis have given better ranks than some IIM's.
In a development which exposes media houses like India Today Group and Outlook, directors of all IIMs (Ahmedabad, Banglore, Calcutta, Lucknow, Indore and Kozikode) have decided not to participate in ranking exercises carried out by various media outfits in India, in view of questionable methodology adopted in these surveys.
Amity Business School was ranked number 1 post 1990 private B-School in India by The Outlook Magazine.
Given the fact that the national dailies have been coopted by the Chauhans of Amity, will the Home Minister show the spine to initiate action against Amity owners?
Can Prasar Bharati and Information & Broadcasting Minister show courage to ensure that the truth about Amity is highlighted?
Will it not be appropriate for Union Human Resource Development Ministry to take over the functioning of Amity group of educational institutions in public interest in the light of the revelations in the Parliament and Tehelka?.
In the backdrop of Supreme Court's order on private university (February 11, 2005) as result of Prof. Yashpal's petition in the apex court, it would be better if UGC takes over Amity in public interest as a sensible measure.
P.S: This reminds one of how even magazine like TIME conferred Young Asian Hero status to Gautam Goswami for his "exemplary work" in flood, failing to take note of his role in multi-crore flood-relief scam.
Why are you wasting your time in trying to degrade Amity and Dr. Chauhan. Our children study there and we have met him many times. Do you know him or have you ever been to the Amity campuses before you pass jusgement based on a third rate paper like Tehelka. There are tens of thousands of students in Amity and we are very proud of being part of this community. Dr. Chauhan is a very respectful and humble person. Please stop all this unfounded speculation.
ReplyDeleteCheck this out:
ReplyDeletehttp://in.rediff.com/news/2005/jun/21capbuz.htm
Does the second item sound familiar?
I was wondering why Rai University was all over the channel
ReplyDeleteOstriches like Dr. Sharma who bury their head in the sand cannot do away with the facts. Red corner notices issued by Interpol are not figments of imagination invented by Tehelka or its editors.
ReplyDeleteYou did not answer whether you know Amity or what your interest is in doing all this...
ReplyDeleteI would like to draw your attention to following reported in the Pioneer from which it is clear that just because Amity is the only private university which has survived the fiasco earlier this year, people are after their blood. Isnt this a normal thing in our India that people are jealous of others success.
ReplyDeleteAmity has 35,000 students studying in various courses and the Chauhan family is very respected for their commitment to education. Many children of my friends are studying there and Amity is known to not take a single ruppee for admissions (a very rare thing these days)
What Tehelka has brought out on behest of the lawyer RK Anand, whose shannanigans and devious nature is well known, are only allegations if you read the case clearly. Now where in the world do you peg a person just on allegations.
We as responsible journalists should not fuel this fire from a few interested people but let the respective authorities decide. Why cause panic and concern amongst innocent students who have so much to lose.
As per my sources, the Chauhans filed a case in delhi high court and have got a stay on proceedings as rk anand was not able to give any proof of his allegations!
Do share your views with me on this.
Rahul
Pioneer Story:
“TEHELKA IN TEA CUP
The Supreme Court order annulling the Chattisgarh law which allowed mushrooming of universities in the private sector has let loose a corporate war. With admission season in full swing, its harvest time for the private universities. However, the apex court order has come as a spanner in the wheel of the harvesting machine. While one of the leading brands has managed to get some relief by getting a law passed in the Uttar Pradesh assembly, their competitors are still in a limbo. Therefore, first a spate of public interest advertisements in the newspapers warning students going for a brand which calls itself a universe, Second a news report in a magazine crying hoarse about group founder’s certain financial deals. The grapevine has it that the spearhead of the campaign is a leading lawyer associated with the Congress party who having failed to gain advantage against the corporate in the courtroom went for a kill outside.”
Whatever Tehelka wrote about AMITY appears to be nothing but the truth. They have the statement of the
ReplyDeleteUnion Minister of State for Home Affairs in the Parlaiment corroborating it. Instead of quoting
news paper reports, it would be appropriate to verfiy facts. Please cross-check them.
I am sure you will agree, one has to be wary of generalisations and look at media houses on the basis
of facts.
In the Amity case it seems Tehelka has facts. If you or Amity can dispute the facts and counter the story with another version. We are open to arguments. Infact, if need be Amity can get its version advertised.
The Pioneer story (as per your quotes) is based on opinion not facts.
Lets keep discussing it. May be you have some facts about Amity which I do not, please share it with us.
It is strange that I am recieving comments like "You are trying to degrade Amity. Our children study there and there are tens of thousands of students in Amity and we are very proud of being part of this community. Chauhan is a very respectful and humble person."
ReplyDeleteThe fact is we are simply referring to a shocking story about an educational institute. We are not related Amity in any way either because of friendship or enemity.
I am a student in one of Amity's schools and one of their sons is a very good friend of mine. I have been to their place a number of times at def col and I know Dr. Ashok Chauhan Sir and Dr. Mrs Amita Chauhan Ma'am personally. As soon as I read this article, I did a thorough search on www.interpol.int to find any traces of the names mentioned in the article, including the notice numbers. Just as I had expected the search results came and said "No Results Found for Your Search". On the website of the German police, no records were found either. No where....any where on the net are their traces of this 'story'. If they had actually embezzled funds to that magnitude, surely it would have been somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't actually trust a person like Tejpal, who thinks that the reader is a fool who knows nothing. Tehelka is like a kite whose string is cut. The person flying it wants it to go up, but alas! it never will.
Tejpal is a finished entity, who thrives on faceless impulses to stimulate growth of his paper. I hope he realizes that.
Amity We Torture Talent.
ReplyDeleteoh and i saw tarun tejpal in a pub greater kailash, drinking beer in happy hours and cozing up to a female. Thats a fact
ReplyDelete"They run Law scools and Journalism schools. Perhaps, they teach the art of fraud in these schools."
ReplyDelete1. is this an opinion or a fact?
2. if it is a fact, please substanciate it with data, with details of school curricula etc.
3. if this is an opnion isnt this contrary to your stand taken earlier.
Dear Average Upper Middle Class Students,
ReplyDeleteyou are invited to try Rai University as a suitable alternative. Visit www.raiuniversity.edu for more details.
Sorry, but the last we heard was that bulldozers were pulling down Rai University and that all faculty have been asked to work without pay or leave.
ReplyDeleteTejpal is known for his drugs and prostitutes habits. No wonder he needs to blackmail people.
ReplyDeletecheck out www.iipm.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteholier than thou, rai, holier than thou?
ReplyDeleteHere is a transcripttranscript of RS (rajya sabha) question answer session related to the interpol question. It would be an eye opener for Rahul and Dr. Sharma.
ReplyDeleteCheck out
http://meaindia.nic.in/parliament/rs/2005/05/12rs07.htm
BJ, give us the link.
ReplyDeleteHEY EVERYONE, THIS IS ALL WRONG...YOU CAN SEARCH INTERPOL WEBSITE, THERE IS NO LEGAL NOTICE OR ARREST WARRANT AGAINST DR. ASHOK KUMAR CHAUHAN....AND ALSO, ACCORDING TO DELHI HIGH COURT, ALL THESE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE CHAUHANS IS WRONG.....JUST READ THIS IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED:http://www.delhidistrictcourts.nic.in/july06/RBEF Vs. Alok Kumar.pdf
ReplyDeleteguys im toyllly confused abt taking adm in amity i have allready paid 1 lac rupees
ReplyDeleteand u people r freakin me by sayin amity a fraud university
can anyone help and give me a suitable answr to save my career!!!
i m deeply depressed by all dis
plz mail me at
raja_pahalwan@yahoo.co.in
guys im toyllly confused abt taking adm in amity i have allready paid 1 lac rupees
ReplyDeleteand u people r freakin me by sayin amity a fraud university
can anyone help and give me a suitable answr to save my career!!!
i m deeply depressed by all dis
plz mail me at
raja_pahalwan@yahoo.co.in
every amity student here seems to be a good friend of sons and daughters of chauhan.....is it me or is this really wierd.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually really interesting regarding your fact article here, This article is very informative.
ReplyDeleteKenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang | Blog SEO | cah bagoes | oes tsetnoc | blogger
AMITY PROVIDES WHAT YOU DESERVE IN LIEU OF THE MONEY YOU HAVE SPENT!!!COLLEGES IN BANGALORE WHICH DON'T HAVE EVEN AN ACRE OF LAND TAKES LACS OF RUPEES FOR A POOR DEGREE.IN RESPECT TO THAT AMITY IS FAR BETTER. AND MY DEAR CITIZENS DON'T SPOIL THE GOOD NAME OF AMITY FOR IT CAN CAUSE A GREAT TO THE PROGRESS OF THE COUNTRY.BECAUSE WE KNOW ITS GOOD OUT HERE AND WHEN PEOPLE DENY THAT ITS SOMETHING WRONG THAT CANT AND SHOULDNT BE TOLERATED!!!
ReplyDeleteA lot of people may have commited such things in the world history...
ReplyDeletewho could forget,what dheeru bhai ambani did, who hiked it's company's share price...crime like virtue has it's own degree...they haven't commited any murder...n case is true or false...has nt been decided so far.Tehalaka always put such kind of stuff which seems to be true but later comes out as a premature articale...Amity university is doing something good,n we should support it.