University decides to suspend professor who gave cash for V-C post

Mangalore University’s Syndicate also resolves to initiate internal inquiry by a retired district judge

The Syndicate of Mangalore University on Friday resolved to keep M. Jayashankar, a professor in microbiology, who had told police that he had given ₹17.5 lakh to a middleman to get appointed as the vice-chancellor of Raichur University, under suspension pending inquiry by a retired district judge. In an unanimous resolution passed after much deliberations on the issue at its special meeting, the highest decision making body of the university also authorised the university’s competent authority (Registrar) to initiate an internal inquiry to be completed in six months and issue the order of suspension. The Syndicate said that the act by Mr. Jayashankar amounted to moral turpitude and was unbecoming of a professor of the university. It constituted misconduct and indiscipline. The professor has lowered the dignity of the university through his illegal act to get a post of a vice-chancellor of a university, the Syndicate said, after considering Mr. Jayashankar’s reply to the university’s April 1 notice.