COIMBATORE: Physical Education Director (In-charge) of Bharathiar University's Department of Physical Education has been placed under suspension over allegations of misappropriation of sports funds.
Higher Education Department Secretary Dheeraj Kumar, who is also the Vice-Chancellor Committee convenor at Bharathiar University, suspended Professor R Annadurai, the in-charge of the PED, under Rule 17(b) of the Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.
Sources said PEDs of private colleges affiliated with Bharathiar University petitioned the Chief Minister's Cell in July, alleging that Annadurai refused to release sports funds to colleges whose students had participated in university-level tournaments representing Bharathiar University.
They further alleged that the university did not provide allowances for travel, daily expenses, coaching camps, sports uniforms and accommodation for college students representing Bharathiar University in South Zone and national-level university tournaments. PEDs lamented that colleges were forced to spend their own money on students despite paying sports fees of Rs 100 to the university.
Meanwhile, based on their complaint, Dheeraj Kumar formed an inquiry committee comprising two syndicate members to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the matter. During the inquiry, the committee found that Annadurai had allegedly misappropriated sports funds. After the report was submitted to the Higher Education Department, he was suspended on Thursday," sources added.
When contacted, an officer from the higher education department told TNIE that the department would soon conduct a detailed inquiry into the appropriation of sports funds at the university.