The Madras High Court on Monday declined to revoke the suspension of R.Radhakrishnan, the former Vice-Chancellor of Anna University, Coimbatore, on alleged corruption charges. Disposing of appeals by Mr.Radhakrishnan, a Division Bench comprising Justices Satish K.Agnihotri and Justice M.Venugopal said there was no dispute that the charges relating to corruption and misappropriation of university funds were grave.
The appellant was placed under suspension in August 2009 while serving as Vice-Chancellor. Thereafter, he was repatriated to his parent post as Professor of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Guindy. There too he was suspended. Aggrieved by a single Judge’s order, he filed the present appeals. He submitted that he could not be made to suffer due to delay in investigation and conclusion of trial by the authorities. He had cooperated in the probe. He suffered agony for no fault of his.
The charge-sheet had been filed. The case was pending trial.
P.H.Arvindh Pandian, Additional Advocate-General, appearing for V.Shanmugasundar, university counsel, submitted that a criminal case had been registered against Mr.Radhakrishnan which was pending before the competent court. Hence, the suspension could not be revoked.
The Bench observed that the State government, the appointing authority, was fully competent to place Mr.Radhakrishnan under suspension when he was a Vice-Chancellor. As far as the second suspension was concerned, the appellant had not challenged the competence of the Registrar who passed the order. The Bench said not a single material had been placed before it which would lead to the doubt there was deliberate delay on the part of officers.
The Bench directed the Special Court where the charge-sheeting was pending to conclude the trial within six months.