BENGALURU: It’sofficial: ‘Tainted’ Professor Vishnukant Chatpalli has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj University, Gadag, in Karnataka. Prof Chatpalli, who was earlier registrar at Rani Channamma University, Belagavi, was subjected to an inquiry by the Justice B Padmaraj Commission, over irregularities in recruitment. He was also subjected to an inquiry by the Justice Pachapure Commission, again rel ated to ir re gularities in recruitment.
When contacted, Prof Chatpalli told TNIE that he had faced the inquiry commissions, but both the commissions had been stayed. It may be recalled that in 2015, Justice Padmaraj, who had served as acting Chief Justice of Karnataka, had been appointed to look into serious irregularities in appointments made in University appointments for teaching and other positions. The Justice Padmaraj Committee had asked for action to be initiated, but the committee report was stayed.
A second commission of inquiry, set up by the department of higher education under Justice S S Pachapure, former High Court judge, also looked into irregularities in appointments made during the 2011-2013 period at Rani Channamma University, where Prof Chatpalli served. Controversy has dogged Prof Chatpalli for some time now.
Among the allegations against him was one that he used official stamp paper dated August 20, 2014, more than 50 days in advance, on July 1, to record an official transaction. This was brought to the notice of the authorities and an inquiry was ordered, but kept pending. A threemember committee headed by Prof Kamble had held an inquiry, and pointed out that Professor Chatpalli did not qualify technically to be professor in the management department of Rani Channamma University on technical grounds.