By Express News Service – PUDUCHERRY: Pondicherry University Vice-Chancellor Prof Chandra Krishnamurthy has been urged to give sanction for CBI to prosecute a top university official in connection with alleged irregularities in giving approval to a private engineering college.
Prof A Marx, president of the People’s Union for Human Rights, and K Sugumaran, secretary of the Federation for People’s Rights, told reporters on Tuesday that the CBI had sought permission of the Pondicherry University to prosecute Prof S Hariharan, an expert member of AICTE, who was allegedly instrumental in giving approval for a private engineering college, violating norms.
Prof Marx alleged that the then AICTE member was instrumental in giving approval for the Institute of JA Engineering and Technology of St Alfred Education Trust. But as the irregularities of alleged forgery of documents and non-compliance of AICTE norms came to light, later the approval as well as the affiliation of the college was withdrawn.
Following a probe by the CBI, a chargesheet had been filed against Hariharan. In 2010, CBI sought the Pondicherry University’s permission to prosecute Prof Hariharan, but the then Pondicherry University vice cahncellor rejected it on vague grounds.
Sugumaran said he then petitioned the CBI anti-corruption wing on January 23, 2013 following which the CBI had resent the request for prosecution to the PU, which is pending before the vice-chancellor.
Meanwhile, Prof Hariharan, who was the director of the Academic Staff College at the PU, had been made dean in charge of the College Development Council. Prof Marx and Sugumaran demanded that Prof Hariharan be relieved of the post till the CBI enquiry into the allegations against him gets over.
The New Indian Express / 17.07.2013
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