The Madras High Court has called for a detailed report from a Salem judicial magistrate who had refused to remand Periyar University Vice-Chancellor R. Jagannathan and also granted conditional bail to him on December 26, 2023.
Justice P. Dhanabal called for the report pursuant to a criminal appeal filed by the State challenging the Magistrate’s order. He also ordered notices, returnable by January 12, to the Vice-Chancellor as well the complainant against him.
Additional Public Prosecutor R. Muniyapparaj brought it to the notice of the court that the president of Periyar University Labour Union E. Elangovan had lodged a complaint accusing the vice chancellor of having misused his office for private benefits.
According to the complainant, the V-C had started an entity named Periyar University Technology Entrepreneurship and Research (PUTER) Foundation and allotted space for it in the university campus without approval from the Senate or Syndicate.
He had also accused the V-C of having misappropriated huge amount of money through the foundation. It was further alleged that the V-C used slur words referring to the complainant’s caste when he was confronted about the charge of misappropriation.
Therefore, the police had registered a case under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code as well as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested the VC on December 26, 2023. However, the Magistrate refused to remand him.
Further, the V-C was also granted conditional bail without notice to the alleged victim. Claiming that the procedure adopted by the judicial officer was erroneous, the investigating officer had urged the High Court to quash the Magistrate’s order.
