BENGALURU: R Prabhu Shankar, secretary to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who is chancellor of Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), has written to the state government asking them to withdraw the communication issued to banks and defreeze the bank accounts of KSOU.
The letter stated, “I draw your attention to the letter of even number dated 27-03-2026 in connection with the direction of the Hon’ble Governor and Chancellor to the State Government to withdraw the communication dated 24.03.2026 issued to SBI Bank to freeze the bank accounts of Karnataka State Open University.
Freezing of bank accounts directly impacts academic activities, payment of salaries, disbursement of scholarships, and discharge of statutory obligations, thereby seriously prejudicing the interests of students, faculty, and the public at large (sic).”
The letter added, “Hence, I am directed by the Hon ble Governor and Chancellor to request the State Government to withdraw the communication issued vide letter to the General Manager, State Bank of India to debit freeze the University Accounts and to send an action taken report in compliance with the direction of the Governor and Chancellor at the earliest (sic).”
On March 27, the state government and the higher education department had ordered banks to freeze the accounts of KSOU stating financial irregularities in KSOU Mysuru, and the matter is under inquiry. Also, to safeguard public funds and ensure integrity of the inquiry, the secretary to the government, higher education department, has been requested to freeze (debit freeze) all bank accounts of the university.
The action was taken after the university went ahead to conduct Ekatma Manav Darshan, a three-day international conference at KSOU to celebrate 60 years of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s historic lectures despite the government’s order to cancel the event.