Madras HC refuses to quash case against VC of Periyar University

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court dismissed the plea of R Jagannathan, the vice chancellor of the Periyar University, Salem, seeking to quash the pending criminal case registered against him, on Friday.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan, after hearing the State and the petitioner, on Friday, pronounced the order dismissing the plea of the vice chancellor.

R Jagannathan moved the HC seeking to quash the FIR registered against him in an allegation of misappropriating the university's fund by establishing the Periyar University Technology Entrepreneurship and Research Foundation (PUTER).

According to the prosecution, the complainant, Elangovan, the president of the Association of University Teachers, filed a complaint alleging that Jagannathan established the PUTER for his personal gains, and used a casteist slur against him for questioning about the alleged offense.

Based on the complaint, the Salem police booked a case against Jagannathan under various sections of the IPC and the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) (SC/ST) Act, 1989.

It was also submitted that the petitioner established the PUTER within the university campus without the permission of the State and the syndicate of the university.

He also assigned 2,024 square feet of land to establish the PUTER, which violates rule 9 of the Periyar University Act, said the State.

The petitioner also entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with four private entities and transferred funds, the State submitted.