Karnataka Technical Varsity Vice Chancellor Suspended

 

 The Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala on Tuesday suspended the vice-chancellor  H. Maheshappa and nominated registrar (evaluation) H.G. Shekarappa as in charge of the office. In a communique here, Raj Bhavan said Vala, who is also the chancellor, decided to suspend Maheshappa on the basis of a fact-finding committee report submitted by the former high court judge K.N.Keshavanarayana on charges of irregularities and illegalities during the vice-chancellor's tenure in Karnataka.

"The committee inquired into the charges and found a prima facie abuse of his powers and huge financial loss to the university under Maheshappa," the official sources said. About two hundred state-run and private engineering colleges across the state are affiliated to the technical university, based at Belagavi in the state's northern district, about five hundred kilometres from Bengaluru. Though the panel, set up on May eighth following the allegations, gave Maheshappa an opportunity to counter the charges within fifteen days, he failed to respond to the same which was termed as "not surprising" by the Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala.

"The vice chancellor, H. Maheshappa, was again given an opportunity on February sixteen to respond within fifteen days. Though he sought more time on third March, the panel told him to file an explanation until thirteenth March. Yet, the vice chancellor H. Maheshappa did not respond till the suspension was ordered," an official source said. The charges against Maheshappa included irregularities in recruiting one hundred and sixty-eight teaching and non-teaching staff, substantial use of the INR five hundred and forty-one crore corpus fund and other lapses. Maheshappa's second term was extended until thirtieth June, two thousand and sixteen, after the first three-year term ended on first June, two thousand and thirteen. He is the first vice-chancellor of the twenty-eight-year-old technical university to face suspension.

The Visvesvaraya Technology University VC suspended the over graft Charge Bengaluru, March sixteen, two thousand and sixteen. The Vice-Chancellor of the Visvesvaraya Technological University, who was under a massive cloud over allegations of irregularities, has been placed under suspension by the Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala. The action against H Maheshappa came after his reply was sought on the findings of the one-man committee headed by the former High Court judge Keshavanarayana which looked into the allegations very cautiously.

Maheshappa faced the charges ranging from alleged irregularities in awarding a tender for the construction works to an appointment of one hundred and sixty-eight teaching staff in violation of government orders. A Raj Bhavan communique said Maheshappa has been suspended with immediate effect and till further orders by the Governor, the Chancellor of Belagavi-based Visvesvaraya Technology University, which has two hundred and two affiliated engineering colleges under its jurisdiction. It said H G Shekarappa,  the Registrar (Evaluation), Visvesvaraya Technology University, has been nominated to carry on the duties of the office of the Vice-Chancellor till further orders. Based on the conclusions of the facts finding committee constituted by him, the Governor had issued a notice to Maheshappa on January 29.

"Maheshappa might also face the charges of contempt of court for not appearing in multiple hearings" said a source.