Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar has demanded a judicial probe by a retired Karnataka High Court judge into the death of retired Bangalore University professor Dr. N.S. Ashok Kumar. “We have information that he has been a victim of corruption in the selection of vice chancellors to universities, pushing him to take the extreme step. Only an impartial inquiry will help reveal the real culprits in this case,” he said.
Dr. Ashok Kumar, who was Registrar, Garden City University, was aspiring to become vice chancellor of one of the four universities for which the State government made appointments on Saturday. Dr. Kumar did not make it to the list and was found dead in his study room hours later, sources said.
“There is rampant corruption in the appointment of vice chancellors, and it is openly discussed as well. We have information that Prof. Ashok Kumar was forced to raise a loan at a high rate of interest and pay some individuals to be appointed as vice chancellor. However, neither did his name figure in the final list of appointees nor did he get back his money, pushing him to the brink. This is very sad,” Mr. Shivakumar alleged.
“Prof. Ashok Kumar may have left behind a note saying no one is responsible for his death, but the circumstances clearly point to how he was victimised and trapped by corruption. There has to be an impartial probe to uncover those involved in this corruption scandal, including the middlemen and those part of the government who have taken money from this professor. It may uncover a larger corruption scandal,” he said.
