A former Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University here has been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation for allegedly misusing his position to grant approval to two universities to run distance learning courses in 2009 despite certain deficiencies highlighted by the Expert Committee.
The case has been registered against Rajasekharan Pillai under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Investigations by the agency have purportedly revealed that the former Vice-Chancellor, who was also holding the post of Distance Education Council chairman, granted permission to Punjab Technical University and Sikkim Manipal University for running two distance education courses for which he was allegedly not authorised.
“The courses could not be run by the two universities in the distance education mode. They could be allowed to start the courses in the interactive mode,” said a CBI official, adding that the agency suspected that former IGNOU Vice-Chancellor had received some sort of illegal gratification in lieu of granting permission to the two universities.
Following registration of the case, the CBI on Friday conducted searches at the residence of the former Vice-Chancellor at Thiruvanthapuram. The role of the two universities’ managements is also being probed.
