CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the State government on a petition seeking orders to hold a probe by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) into the alleged irregularities committed by top authorities of Vellore-based Thiruvalluvar University.
A division bench of Justices M Duraisamy and TV Thamiselvi issued the notice returnable by April 20 when the petition, by former syndicate member and retired professor I Elangovan, came up for hearing.
The petitioner said he had submitted 13 representations to government authorities, including the chief secretary, university chancellor, and higher education secretary, but no action was taken towards holding a probe. He said he was dismayed over a reply he got from the authorities that his representations were forwarded to the vice-chancellor (VC) and the registrar (in-charge), against whom the allegations were raised, for an inquiry.
Elangovan had alleged irregularities in assigning/outsourcing confidential exam work, flouting of tender norms, exam scandals, awarding pre- and post-exam automation work, irregularities in temporary appointments made by the controller of examinations, misuse of authority by the VC and registrar (in-charge), and financial irregularities. He said the government authorities didn’t take any action on the representations/complaints.
Ensure police file reports online: Court
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday instructed all criminal courts to ensure the police file reports online, and not return them on the grounds of lacking scientific or forensic test results. A division bench of Justices R Subramanian and N Sathish Kumar said that in some cases, final reports are returned by magistrate courts since they are not accompanied by scientific or forensic test reports. The bench also directed the State police to file final reports online and told the criminal courts to ensure the same with further directions to the DGP to issue necessary circulars to the police in this regard. .
Also observing that there is a general impression among the police that the limitation period of 90 days would not apply in cases where the accused are detained under the Goondas Act, the judges clarified that the requirement of filing final reports within 90 days would apply even after Goondas detention. The Bench gave the directions while expressing concern over how a delay in filing reports leads to grant of default bail to the accused.