HC stays memo to ex-vice-chancellor of rural institute, Legal News, ET LegalWorld – Legal Firms

MADURAI: Madras high court has stayed the charge memo issued to former vice-chancellor (VC) of Gandhigram Rural Institute (deemed to be university) in Dindigul district. Justice G R Swaminathan passed the order on the petition of the former VC, T T Ranganathan, and also sought response from the authorities before adjourning the case to a further date for hearing.

The petitioner, who was working as professor of the school of agriculture and animal husbandry, was given additional charge as VC from August 16, 2021 to June 6, 2022.

He stated that a day prior to his retirement on account of superannuation on September 30, the authorities issued a charge memo with an ulterior motive and malafide intention to not permit him to retire from service. He stated that four charges were framed. The first was that while working as professor he had unauthorisedly assumed the post of president of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Institute (WASH) without prior permission from the authorities.

The second charge was that he had influenced the chief vigilance officer for obtaining vigilance clearance for appointment of VC in-charge. The third was that he had placed the registrar under suspension.

The fourth charge was that of instigating the students of WASH to file a writ petition against the institution relating to equivalency of the programme offered. Terming all the charges baseless, the petitioner moved HC Madurai bench seeking to quash the charge memo.