India, Dec. 12 -- A Right to Information Act (RTI) query has revealed that the Savitribai Phule Pune University's (SPPU) department of technology has allegedly procured equipment for state government-funded projects at exorbitantly inflated prices. In a letter to Maharashtra chief secretary on December 8, Sajag Nagrik Manch (SNM) president Vivek Velankar has demanded a criminal investigation and intervention by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), claiming that the department spent at least Rs.3.5 crore in excess.

According to the information received on December 3 on the RTI filed on November 6, the department made purchases in 2018-19 for the RUSA Virtual Classroom Project and another project funded by the Maharashtra Tribal Development D...