KOCHI:Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) Vice-Chancellor on Friday suspended Dr A Kannan, former head and associate professor of the Livestock Research Station, Thiruzhamkunnu, on charges of misappropriation of plan funds granted to the university.
At present, he is working as associate professor, Department of Livestock Production and Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, of KVASU. He was suspended based on the report (KVASU/DAR/R4/12271/2015) of the enquiry committee comprising the dean, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, finance officer and director, Farms of KVASU.
The alleged anomalies came to the notice of the authorities following a report of the officer who had taken charge as a sequel to the transfer of Dr Kannan to Mannuthy. There were gross irregularities in farm stock, purchase and work orders issued amounting to a cumulative loss of around Rs 32 lakh, said VC Dr B Asok in a release.
As per the directions of VC, the director of Farms made a preliminary enquiry and found that Dr Kannan had misappropriated purchase procedures related to more than eight plan projects and issued a false stock certificate. More telling, when Kannan was working at the Centre for Pig Production and Research, Mannuthy, he had embezzled funds to the tune of Rs 1.5lakh. As the corruption came to light, the university suspended Dr Kannan, said a university release.