Suspended DU prof's family not to be evicted: Univ to court

Delhi University (DU) today assured a court here that family members of its suspended professor G N Saibaba, arrested for his alleged Maoist links, will not be evicted from their residence provided by DU as the matter is sub-judice.

"He (DU's counsel) is assuring orally that he will inform the authorities about the court order (passed by a vacation judge on June 9 and thereby staying proceedings of eviction by the university)...," District Judge A K Chawla said.

The assurance by DU came while the court was hearing a petition filed by Saibaba's wife Vasantha, challenging the June 2 order of estate officer in which the professor was asked to vacate the Gwyer Hall premises provided to him by DU.

Saibaba, who was an English professor at Ram Lal Anand College, was arrested on May 9 by Maharashtra Police on the charges of being a member of a banned terrorist organisation (CPI-Maoist), providing logistics and helping in recruitment for the group.

Vasantha's counsel C S Parasher informed the court that a vacation judge has stayed the eviction order of the estate officer on June 9 but even after that the university recently sent a notice that the professor's residence will be vacated with the help of security agencies.

"Its the contempt of court," Parasher said.

Initially, the university's counsel told the court that he has not received the stay order passed by the vacation judge, to which the district judge asked Parasher to provide him a copy of that order.

After getting the copy of the stay order, the DU's counsel assured the court that it will be forwarded to the university authorities and duly be complied with.Vasantha, in her petition, has said the estate officer's order was "illegal, arbitrary, malafide and in violation of the provisions of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act". 

The vacation judge had earlier stayed the estate officer's eviction order saying it was a "non-speaking" order.

"...Without commenting upon merit of the case, the order dated June 2, 2014, is hereby stayed till next date of hearing," the vacation judge had said.

While ordering Saibaba and his family to vacate the residence within 15 days, the estate officer had on June 2 said he was in "unauthorised occupation" of the premises.

"In event of refusal or failure to comply with this order within the period specified above, the said Dr Saibaba...are liable to be evicted from the said premises, if need be, by the use of such force as may be necessary," the estate officer had said.