CHENNAI: A petition seeking to punish ICFAI University (Private) and ICFAI National College authorities for contempt of court has been filed in the Madras High Court.

K. Rajendran, Senate member of the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, who filed a writ petition against the private university and obtained an interim injunction restraining them from admitting students and collecting fee, has filed the petition, alleging that there was "clear wilful disobedience of court orders."

In his writ petition, Dr. Rajendran had prayed for a direction to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police to act against the university for running a study centre "without valid approval and recognition from the competent authorities." On February 22, the First Bench restrained the university and its study centres in Tamil Nadu from "granting fresh admissions and collecting fees from any of the students."

The petitioner has initiated the contempt proceedings, alleging that through advertisements released after the court order, the university invited applications for admission to the MBA and M.S. Programmes through distance learning, in "violation" of the interim injunction.

Meanwhile, in its counter-affidavit to the main writ petition, the ICFAI University submitted that the ICFAI University, Dehradun, had been included in the University Grants Commission's list of universities and that its applications for establishment of universities were pending in at least 10 other States.

The petition had been filed on the "basis of misconceived facts and misinterpretation of legal provisions," the counter said. The ICFAI National College did not award any degree.

"Students successfully completing the programme will receive a degree from the ICFAI University, Dehradun, by private appearance." As per Supreme Court rulings, prior approval was not necessary for starting or recognising courses in technical education.

However, in his reply, Dr. Rajendran said the ICFAI University was established in 2003 and given UGC recognition in 2005. "The university cannot impart education outside Uttaranchal now. It can do so only after five years of it's coming into existence, that too, with the prior approval of the UGC and the State Government concerned."

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