Alphons seeks strictest possible action against Mumbai professor for plagiarism

Union Minister of State for Tourism, KJ Alphons, on Friday, wrote a letter to Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar, to take appropriate action against Professor Neeraj Hatekar of the Department of Economics of the University of Mumbai for his proven plagiarism. Alphons has requested in the letter that strictest possible action should be taken against the professor and also stated that had the plagiarism been found in any other country the concerned person would be dismissed from service and criminal action would have been taken against him.

The letter has also been sent to Chancellor, University of Mumbai, the Governor of Maharashtra, the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development and Chairman, University Grants Commission. An inquiry committee was set up by the University of Mumbai to investigate into the accusation that Hatekar had plagiarised. The committee headed by Dr RK Chauhan, Vice-Chancellor, Lingaya's University, Faridabad had Professor S Indrakant, RBI Chair Professor, Council for Social Development and Principal Murlidhar S Kurhade, Principal, DTSS College of Commerce, Mumbai and Adhoc Dean, the University of Mumbai as members.

The committee had submitted its report on January 1, 2018, stating, " The committee is of the view that Dr Neeraj Hatekar has plagiarized in his PhD thesis from the MPhil dissertation of Ms Rajini Mathur" and went on to mention 25 instances of plagiarism. No action has been taken even after the report was submitted to the Vice-Chancellor over a year ago. Alphons has requested for directions to be issued to the University of Mumbai to take proper and immediate action. 

(With inputs from agencies.)