Kerala: Vice-Chancellor’s e-mail triggers fresh controversy

An e-mail sent by the Mahatma Gandhi University Vice-Chancellor Rajan Gurukkal to the University Registrar, directing him not to hand over any ‘premature’ file that is to be given to the Vigilance officer until he signs it, has triggered a fresh controversy.


A group of syndicate members alleged that the  VC’s move is an intervention in the inquiry that is being conducted against the Syndicate and the university officials by the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau (VACB) at the direction of the Governor.



Gurukkal had sent the mail on Monday to the Registrar. “No premature file is to be given to the inquiry officer until I sign it. So get such files forwarded to me with your remarks,” he directed the Registrar in his mail. He also asked the Registrar to be available, since the inquiry is against the officials concerned and the Registrar is answerable to any related queries. The pro-UDF syndicate members alleged that VC is trying to hide details from VACB inquiry. “There is no file which can be considered as a premature file. The VC is interfering in the inquiry”, a pro-UDF member said.


However, Gurukkal denounced these allegations, “The process of a file will be completed only when it is circulated back to the syndicate through the Vice-Chancellor. It is an ongoing process. A file need not be frozen for handing it over to the investigating officer,”  he said.


He said that he has already said that he will cooperate with the inquiry. “Only two files are in the pending list to complete the process.


“One file regarding medical education was delayed for many months at the department concerned and its auditing process is yet to finish”, he said.


However, VACB DySP P Krishnakumar said that there wasn’t any delay in handing over of files or documents from university officials.


“We have already got two documents relevant to the investigation. Usually, we give one or two weeks’ time for submitting files. So we cannot point out any delay right now as the inquiry started hardly a week ago”, Krishnakumar told Express. Kerala Governor H R Bharadwaj last week ordered a vigilance inquiry into various allegations including fund embezzlement and recruitment fiascos against the Mahatma Gandhi University former syndicate and its officials.


In the wake of the order of the Governor, who is also the Chancellor of the university, Krishnakumar had asked the University Registrar to produce 13 files that are relevant to the allegations before the VACB immediately.