HC issues notice to Imphal Central Agricultural University

Agartala, Sep 25 (UNI) The Agartala bench of the Gauhati High Court today issued a notice to the Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur, following suspension of an aquaculturist of Tripura Fishery College early this week and also stayed his transfer order.

The court issued a showcause notice to the university authorities and asked to submit the papers related to the allegations levelled against Prof M C Nandeesha, which ultimately led to his suspension and transfer from the college.

Meanwhile, students of the college threatened to continue their agitation against the alleged injustice meted out to the professor and demanded immediate withdrawal of the suspension order and conduct of CBI enquiry into the incident.

The students also forwarded their demand to President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, alleging that a group of officials, led by Dean of the college Dr J R Dhanje, was involved in corruption.

The students of the college said Prof Nandeesha had been protesting against the corruption in appointment and financial malpractices in the development work and misappropriation of funds in the college and had also written to the Union Ministries of Agriculture and Human Resource Development regarding the issues.

''The college authorities also warned to take action against us if we continue our agitation in support of Prof Nandeesha. They even tried to mobilise anti-social elements against us,'' the students said, adding their demonstration would continue until their demands were met.

Registrar of the university M Premjit Singh suspended Prof Nandeesha and transferred him to Tura in Meghalaya following which the professor filed a writ petition in the High Court.

Justice U B Saha directed the college and the university to allow Prof Nandeesha to continue in his post till the case was finally disposed of. The case would again come up for hearing on November 7.

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