The Kerala High Court on Tuesday set aside the verdict of the Kozhikode Vigilance Special Court convicting former Chief Secretary and former Vice Chancellor of Kalady Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit R. Ramachandran Nair in a case relating to corruption in the purchase of land for the university in Palakkad.
He was sentenced to two years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.2 lakh in 2007. Justice Ubaid passed the judgement while allowing an appeal filed by Mr. Nair. According to the prosecution, Mr. Nair, who was holding additional charge as Vice Chancellor of the university in 1995, had committed financial irregularities in the purchase of land for a regional centre of the university at Elappully, near Palakkad.
A total of Rs.35.88 lakh was fixed for purchasing 13 acres of land for the centre. The university had made an advance payment of Rs.27 lakh. There was a total of seven accused, including Mr. Nair, in the case. While the second accused died, others were acquitted by the Vigilance court on ground of lack of evidence against them.
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Acquitting Mr. Nair, the High Court Judge said that as the evidence clearly showed that the former Vice Chancellor had agreed to purchase the property for the university with a bona fide interest and that he was not in any manner benefited by the deal.
This was not a case where sale took place and the amount had been transferred to the seller. There was no question of anybody being benefited by the deal.
Mr. Nair said the accused owners of the land had been acquitted. He said that, in fact, the property was not taken into possession following a change in the government. The university decided to buy the land because the centre was functioning in a rented building.
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Former Chief Secretarty
R. Ramachandran Nair was the Vice Chancellor of Kalady Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit when the alleged deal took place.