Higher Education Secretary again directs Periyar University Vice- Chancellor to suspend Registrar

Higher Education department directs Periyar University VC to suspend Registrar due to proven charges, pending further investigations.

For the second time, the Higher Education department sent a letter to Periyar University Vice-Chancellor R. Jagannathan directing him to suspend the Registrar (full additional charge) K. Thangavel on Tuesday.

On February 7, the department secretary A. Karthik sent a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, directing him to suspend the Registrar based on the outcome of an inquiry committee constituted by the government. Seven charges against him have been proven. As the charges are severe in nature and the Registrar is set to retire on February 29, he should be suspended immediately for further investigations, the secretary added in the letter. Even though 20 days have passed, the Vice-Chancellor had not taken any action against the Registrar.

Sources at the university said that a few days ago, the Vice-Chancellor wrote a letter to the Higher Education department demanding copies of material evidence relating to the complaints proved against Mr. Thangavel. 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the department secretary sent a reply to Mr. Jagannathan’s letter. In the letter, the secretary said that the copy of material evidence against Mr. Thangavel was enclosed. “I am, therefore, directed to request you to take expeditious action to suspend the individual. The action taken in this regard may be sent to the government immediately,” the secretary added in the letter.

Mr. Jagannathan was not available for comments.