Secretary of Sahitya Akademi, A Krishna Murthy, has been suspended pending an inquiry into his conduct after allegations of financial irregularities and administrative lapses against him.
The decision to place him under suspension was taken by a four-member Executive Board of the Akademi yesterday.
Eminent writer Sunil Gangopadhyay, who is the chairman of the Akademi, told PTI on phone from Kolkata, that allegations include "financial irregularities and administrative lapses on the part of the Secretary".
An inquiry will be conducted into the allegations, he added.
"The rules of the Akademi mandate that any official, against whom charges of corruption or irregularities are levelled, they should be suspended and a committee should go into the issues," said Gangopadhyay.