President Pranab Mukherjee has approved the dismissal of Visva-Bharati Vice-Chancellor Sushanta Dattagupta, the first instance of sacking of the V-C of a Central University.
The President, who is the Visitor of Central Universities, has approved the dismissal of Visva-Bharati V-C Dattagupta, as proposed by the Ministry of HRD.
Earlier this month, the HRD Ministry had sent the file to the President recommending dismissal of Mr. Dattagupta, who was facing allegations of financial and administrative irregularities, after the Law Ministry and the Attorney-General approved the procedures followed by it.
The President’s office had earlier raised certain queries after which the Ministry had sought the opinion of the Law Ministry.
Mr. Mukherjee had twice earlier returned the file relating to Mr. Dattagupta to the HRD Ministry, the latest in November last year, asking whether denying the V-C a “hearing in person” on allegations levelled against him was legally tenable, triggering speculation that both were not on the same page on the matter.
However, after the Law Ministry backed the HRD Ministry’s view, the file was again sent to the President paving the way for the V-C’s dismissal.
Amidst reports that Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Ministry had divergent views on the issue, HRD Minister Smriti Irani had met the President recently.