The HRD Ministry on Wednesday set up a three-member fact finding committee to inquire into the allegations of financial and administrative irregularities and charges of molestation against the controversial Viswa Bharati Vice-Chancellor Sushanta Dattagupta. Ministry official sources said Dattagupta could as well be asked to go on leave pending completion of the probe if the committee so desires.
The development comes at the backdrop of continuous protest in the university campus by a section of students, staff and faculty demanding Dattagupta’s removal. The committee comprises of former judge of Allahabad High Court Sakharam Singh Yadav, chairman of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture (Shillong) B B Dutta and professor of South Asian Archaeology of Cambridge University Dilip Chakrabarti. The committee has been asked to submit its report by March 31.
The HRD Ministry has also asked the V-C to nominate an officer not below the rank of deputy registrar to act as coordinator for providing documents in connection with the inquiry. Dattagupta may be asked to go leave similar to IGNOU VC M Aslam who was told to proceed on leave last when a one-man committee was set up to inquire similar allegations against him.
Among several irregularities, Dattagupta has been accused of appointing a Controller of Examinations despite having no powers to do so and sanctioning key posts in violation of the Viswa Bharati Act. Recently, lok Sabha MP from West Bengal S S Ahluwalia had also demanded an inquiry into the allegations against the VC.