Probe ordered against former V-C

The Hindu: Belagavi: Thursday, 07 May 2015.

Bharat Lal Meena, Principal Secretary, Department of Higher Education, will inquire into the allegation of “double claims” of Travel Allowance by B.R. Ananthan, former Vice-Chancellor of Rani Channamma University.

The inquiry follows a complaint, along with copies of the allowance obtained under the RTI Act, by Dharwad-based advocate and RTI activist Basavaraj Godachi, who shared a copy of the complaint and the RTI-documents with a section of media in Belagavi.

He told The Hindu that the Principal Secretary gave a patient hearing to his complaint and assured of inquiring into the matter and take suitable action if the allegations were true.

In his complaint, Mr. Godachi alleged that Prof. Ananthan, during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor, was invited to attend an expert committee meeting for revising B.Com courses at the School of Management Studies, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in New Delhi on July 15, 2013.

Accordingly, Prof. Ananthan left Belagavi July 14 by a university vehicle to Goa from where he boarded a flight and returned on July 16 from Delhi to Goa.

But, Prof. Ananthan allegedly claimed the travel allowance from IGNOU amounting to Rs. 27,330 which included taxi charges from Belagavi to Goa and from Goa to Belagavi, although he travelled by the university car.

He also allegedly claimed the travel allowance for the same travel with the same tickets from Rani Channamma University on July 25, 2013 for Rs. 19,484 in favour of Travel Net Care, Mysuru.

Mr. Godachi, who also submitted the detailed records of the travel bills, which he obtained from RCU on April 18 and from IGNOU on March 30 under the RTI Act, said that Prof. Ananthan had allegedly misused his office, which amounted to criminal breach of trust and abuse of official position punishable under Sections 406, 409,420 and 474 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Office Director and Appellate Authority, SOMS, IGNOU, New Delhi confirmed that it had paid TA/DA to Prof. Ananthan.

When sought for clarification, Prof. Ananthan said that Mr. Godachi was trying to tarnish his image for long. He said that he would not have claimed bills (from IGNOU and RCU) for the same travel. But, when pointed out at the records available with The Hindu , he said that he might have refunded the amount to RCU.

Later, he said he had asked RCU and the travel agent to verify the records. “I have taken from IGNOU…in case if I have taken from IGNOU, then the amount paid by RCU should go back to RCU,” he said.

However, the RCU, 10 days ago, in a RTI document admitted to paying the airfare and providing an official vehicle to Prof. Ananthan for his Delhi meeting then.