Bengaluru: In a decision that has sent shock waves among heads of institutes of higher learning in the state, Governor Vajubhai Vala has suspended controversial Vice Chancellor, Dr. H Maheshappa of the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, who has been fending off allegations of corruption in recent appointments, regularisation of services, and in handing out building contracts for a while now.
A one man commission headed by a retired high court judge, Justice Ajith Gunjal was appointed by the Governor in December 2014 to look into the alleged irregularities at the VTU. Justice K.N. Keshavanarayan, also a retired high court judge, who took over the commission in May 2015 when the former opted to leave, submitted his report in early February this year.
Both the VTU and Dr. Maheshappa were then asked to respond to his conclusions, but did not, leading to the present action by the Governor. According to a press communique by the Rajbhavan the Vice Chancellor has been placed under suspension with immediate effect. Mr Vajubhai Vala, who is also chancellor of VTU, has nominated the university’s Registrar (Evaluation), Dr. H G Shekarappa, to step in and carry out the duties of the Vice Chancellor for the time being.
Dr Maheshappa, who took over as VTU Vice Chancellor on July 1, 2010, received an extension of three years in 2014, raising many eyebrows as he had courted controversy from the very beginning, starting with the alleged fake CV he submitted to the VC search committee, which was exposed by the Deccan Chronicle.
Under the radar by the Governor-appointed commission, he tried to stop the inquiry by moving various courts but did not succeed.
