HRD ministry followed rules in sacking of Vishwa Bharti University's VC: Law ministry

NEW DELHI: In developments that could support the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry’s efforts to sack the Vice Chancellor of Vishwa Bharti University Sushanta Duttagupta, the Law ministry is learnt to have concluded that all due process was followed by the ministry in serving the VC a show cause notice on corruption allegations.

Officials in HRD ministry said that the Law ministry has agreed that all due process was followed by the HRD ministry and there was legal ground for the VC’s removal. It is also learnt that HRD minister Smriti Irani recently met President Pranab Mukherjee-Visitor to all Central Universities-and the Vishwabharti matter is said to have been discussed as well.

President Office, however, has so far disfavoured the HRD ministry’s efforts to cut short the VC’s tenure and has instead nudged the ministry to accept the resignation of the VC.

Dattagupta who was appointed as VC during UPA 2’s term still has a term until September this year. The HRD ministry had issued him a showcause notice to the VC in June 2015.

An inquiry committee was then set up by the ministry on the various allegations against him and its report was recently submitted to the President.