Madras High Court refuses to quash FIR against Periyar University Vice-Chancellor

The Madras High Court on Friday (April 4, 2025) refused to quash a First Information Report (FIR) registered against Periyar University Vice-Chancellor (V-C) R. Jagannathan under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, as well as the charge of cheating under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Madras High Court on Friday (April 4, 2025) refused to quash a First Information Report (FIR) registered against Periyar University Vice-Chancellor (V-C) R. Jagannathan under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, as well as the charge of cheating under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan dismissed a petition filed by the V-C in January 2024 with a plea to quash the FIR on the ground that it had been registered on the basis of an allegedly false complaint lodged against him with “an ulterior motive” to tarnish his image and reputation.

In his quash petition, the V-C had said the university, established in 1997, had 27 departments and 118 affiliated colleges with jurisdiction over Salem, Dharmapuri, Namakkal, and Krishnagiri districts. It had secured the 59th rank in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2023.

“When I took charge as the Vice-Chancellor (in July 2021), I found several irregularities, financial mismanagement, and other issues. I took steps to eradicate the irregularities and financial mismanagement and instituted departmental and legal proceedings against erring teaching and non-teaching staff, which caused serious resistance and threat to life and liberty,” he claimed.

Claiming to have found misappropriation of ₹23 lakh through forged documents in the distance education unit, and consequently suspending and terminating a few employees involved, the V-C denied the charge levelled against him of swindling university funds by establishing the Periyar University Technology Entrepreneurship Research (PUTER) Foundation.

He said PUTER Foundation was a non-profit company established as per a Government Order issued by the Higher Education Department on January 19, 2013.

In March 2023, the designation of Coordinator of PUTER Foundation was changed to CEO for administrative purposes. Making it clear that the university had not invested any funds in the company, the petitioner said the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and two professors from the general council were appointed as its directors, and that the successors to the posts of Vice-Chancellor and Registrar would continue to be the directors.