Govt. Nods for case against AU V.C !
The state government on Tuesday informed the Madras High Court that it has granted permission to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to register a corruption case against R Radhakrishnan, vice-chancellor of the Anna University-Coimbatore. A counter-affidavit of the deputy secretary of the higher education department, filed in response to a public interest writ petition seeking registration of corruption case against Radhakrishnan and his prosecution, said the government accorded its sanction to the DVAC on July 30.
The counter, filed by G Sankaran, special government pleader for education, said the government has asked the DVAC to “register a regular case” on the allegations contained in the proposal of the DVAC director as well as the contents of an affidavit filed by advocate S Sivapandi, who filed the PIL. Sivapandi’s counsel N R Chandran has been arguing before the first bench, comprising Chief Justice HL Gokhale and Justice D Murugesan, that the DVAC be directed to register a case, investigate and file a final report on Sivapandi’s complaint. Suitable action should also be initiated against the vice-chancellor on the basis of the findings, he had argued.
The counter, pointing out that the permission to register a case has been accorded, said the PIL may hence be dismissed by the court. Though the matter figured in the list of the first bench, it could not be taken up for further hearing on Tuesday. In the petition, Sivapandi wanted the court to restrain Radhakrishnan from continuing in the post of vice-chancellor. “If he is not prevented from functioning as vice-chancellor, he will tamper with records of the university and also coerce officers of the university to give false statements to the police,” he said.
