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Complaint against VC to be referred to Lokayukta

Special Correspondent

Alleged denial of scholarships to SC and ST students

Aravind Limbavali and N. Prabhu Dev

BANGALORE: Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor N. Prabhu Dev, who crossed swords with the Higher Education Department by preventing the newly appointed registrars from assuming office, could well face a series of inquiries beginning with a Lokayukta investigation into the alleged denial of scholarships to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) students.

According to sources, Minister for Higher Education Aravind Limbavali has decided to refer to the Lokayukta a complaint lodged by Dalit organisations against the alleged denial of scholarship to SC and ST students of G.M. College in Nelamangala during 2007-08. A Lokayukta investigation has been sought against Dr. Prabhu Dev and Special Officer for SC and ST Cell Ravi Kumar.

Though the complaint was pending before the Government for almost two weeks, the Minister is believed to have referred the case to the Lokayukta when Bangalore University was plunged into a crisis over Dr. Prabhu Dev’s reluctance to allow newly appointed registrars M.G. Krishnan and M.S. Talwar to assume charge.

Mr. Limbavali, who was upset when the Vice-Chancellor opposed the trifurcation of the university, was incensed when Dr. Prabhu Dev defied the Government Order on the registrars, sources close to the Minister told The Hindu.

Mr. Limbavali is believed to have seen red when the Chief Minister’s Office issued a note to the department to keep the appointment of registrars in abeyance after Dr. Prabhu Dev reportedly met Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and requested him to replace the chosen candidates with his nominees.

Surprised

Dr. Prabhu Dev, who was away in New Delhi, expressed surprise over the Government’s decision to order an inquiry against him for an alleged irregularity that took place during 2007-08 when he was not the Vice-Chancellor. “I have been the Vice-Chancellor for less than a year. I was not the Vice-Chancellor during the said academic year,” he added.

Meanwhile, the impasse over the appointment of registrars to the university ended on Thursday with Prof. Krishnan and Prof. Talwar assuming office as Registrar (Administration) and Registrar (Academic) respectively.

Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, who has also taken note of the recent confusion in the university, said he would write a letter to the Chief Minister asking him to come out with a “proper process” for the appointment of registrars. “The Chancellor does not have any role in the appointment of registrars. But I will write to the Government,” he said.

However, the department is understood to be keen on pursuing the complaints of irregularities against Dr. Prabhu Dev, first made to the Chancellor by a Syndicate member, A.P. Ranganath.

The complaints list the denial of contracts for housekeeping and preparation of prospectus for the lowest bidders in violation of the rules, besides the allegedly illegal selection of Bangalore Educational Resources Pvt. Ltd. as the nodal agency to screen prospective study centres for its distance education programme outside Karnataka, appointments of retired officials and spending funds without approval.

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