DURING WALKAROUND OF AN AIRBUS A320; CAPTAIN NOTICED FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE APU AREA OF ACFT; BUT CONTRACT MAINT AND MAINT CONTROL APPEARED TO 'PENCIL WHIP' HIS WRITE-UP AS 'NO LEAKS;' CHECKED APU OIL VIA ACARS AND RELEASED ACFT.

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MAINT APPEARED TO PENCIL WHIP A WRITE-UP. DURING WALKAROUND I WAS CONCERNED WITH A FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE APU AREA OF THE ACFT. (CAPT WALKAROUND.) I WROTE UP THE CONCERN USING OUR SOP MAINT PROCS. I PERSONALLY SPOKE WITH THE CONTRACT MECH WHO WAS GOING TO ADDRESS THE CONCERN. I WALKED OUTSIDE TO SHOW HIM MY CONCERNS AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT. I POINTED OUT WHERE THERE WAS A POSSIBLE LEAK FROM A DRAIN HOLE AND EVEN AN ACCESS DOOR UNDER THE ACFT APU AREA. THE CONTRACT MECH ASKED ME TO START THE APU. I THEN CALLED COMPANY MAINT TO RPT HIS FINDINGS. WE WERE ADVISED EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND THE NEW MAINT RELEASE WOULD BE FORTHCOMING. WHEN THE MAINT RELEASE CAME; THE ITEM HAD BEEN CLRED. I WAS AMAZED TO SEE THE CORRECTIVE ACTION STATED THERE WAS NOT A LEAK AND THERE WAS A STATEMENT SAYING THE OIL LEVEL HAD BEEN CHKED. I KNOW FOR A FACT IT HAD NOT BEEN CHKED. I CALLED MAINT RELEASE OPS AND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE MECH WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE CHKED THE OIL LEVEL. HE TOLD ME HE CHKED IT VIA ACARS. I WAS ASSURED THE CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS DONE CORRECTLY; SO I ACCEPTED THIS AS CORRECT. THE APU WAS SIGNED OFF AND WE PUSHED FOR ZZZ. DURING ENG START; THE APU DID AN AUTO SHUTDOWN. WE COORD VIA A PHONE PATCH AND DEFERRED THE APU AND CONTINUED THE FLT. BOTTOM LINE; THERE WAS RUSH AND PUSH TO GET THE FLT OFF. IT WAS VERY APPARENT TO ME THE INITIAL CONTRACT MAINT WAS PENCIL WHIPPED; AND I CONTINUED. AFTER THE FLT; I CALLED MAINT CTLR AND SPOKE WITH THE ORIGINAL MAINT CTLR. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS AND HE SAID HE CAN ONLY GO BY WHAT HE'S TOLD ON THE PHONE BY OUR CONTRACT MAINT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE FLUID HAD THE VISCOSITY AND COLOR OF OIL; BUT DID NOT SMELL OF FUEL. THE BELLY PORTION OF THE APU CLAMSHELL ACCESS DOORS WERE COATED WITH A SHEEN AND SLICKNESS OF OIL LEAKING THAT APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE DRAIN HOLE JUST FORWARD OF THE APU ACCESS DOORS.