HC tells HS Gour varsity: Pay 3-yr wages to Prez appointee

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh high court has directed Dr Harisingh Gour Central University, Sagar, to pay three years salary to an official appointed by President of India, who was not allowed to join the varsity.
Appointments to the posts of first finance officer and registrar of a central university are recommended by President of India after a panel of three names are sent to him.Santosh Kumar was appointed as university's first finance officer through an order dated June 20, 2012, for three years.
But, on October 17, 2012, he was not allowed to join and his appointment was later cancelled by the varsity on March 25, 2013, alleging he did not join the post. "I stayed at a hotel for three days but was not allowed to join. Officials did not allow me to take charge for reasons best known to them. I had to leave the town," Kumar told TOI.
Harassed, he moved a petition in Madhya Pradesh high court against officials of the university and sought justice.
A single bench of high court, comprising Justice Sujoy Paul, ordered on June 16, 2016 that, "Action of the respondents in not permitting petitioner to join on the post of first finance officer is illegal. Consequently, cancellation of appointment order dated March 25, 2013 is set aside. The respondents shall pay the amount of compensation equal to salary of the post of finance officer to the petitioner for the period between October 17, 2012 and June 20, 2015. The aforesaid amount be paid to the petitioner within two months from the date of communication of this order." "I have communicated order of high court to university officials, but I am yet to receive a reply. Court has also ordered that university pay me Rs 10,000 as legal expenses," Kumar said.
When contacted over the issue, university vice-chancellor R P Tiwari said, "Decision on the issue will be taken during executive council meeting, scheduled to be held on July 9."