Stay on action against AU ex-VC Surapa extended

The Madras High Court on Friday extended until further orders, the operation of its earlier interim order, restraining the Tamil Nadu government from taking any action on the report by an inquiry commission against Anna University former Vice-Chancellor M K Surappa.

Justice S Vaidyanathan extended the operation of his order passed in the last week of February this year when Surappa's writ petition came up for further hearing today.

The Commission of Inquiry, headed by Justice P Kalaiarasan, had been constituted in November 2020, to probe the allegations of bribery, corruption, malpractices, financial irregularities, and irregular appointments during Surappa's tenure.

In his petition, Surappa had denied all the charges and claimed that he had undertaken major development works in the interest of the University ever since he had assumed office in April 2018.

His opposition to the State government's decision to pass all engineering students without conducting arrear examinations due to COVID-19 and the efforts taken by him to obtain an Institute of Eminence (IoE) status for the university had triggered the confrontation.

Surappa further stated that he had refused to part with university funds for purchasing decorative items at the offices of the Higher Education Minister and the Secretary.

He also took back four university cars used by the Minister and the Secretary. All this had ended in him drawing the ire of the ruling government, he claimed.

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