JOIN USJustice N Venkatachala as Karnataka Lokayukta had inquired into allegations and found Ananthan guilty of making ‘unlawful gain’. The inquiry report, submitted in April 2003, had recommended to the government to direct the Mysore University syndicate to initiate disciplinary action against him.
However, he occupied the position of special officer in Belgaum University. He will become vice-chancellor after the Bill for establishing of the University is passed in the legislature. Dr K L Rama Das, an NRI and founder of TTL Education trust in Mysore, had complained to the Lokayukta in August 2001 that Prof Hegde, then vice-chancellor of Mysore University had taken a bribe of $7,000 to increase the intake of MBA students in the college run by the Trust from 40 to 60 a year. He had alleged that Ananthan took Rs 1.64 lakh to approve project reports prepared by MBA students of the college.
The Lokayukta in his 47-page report held Ananthan guilty and recommended disciplinary action against him and recommended a judicial inquiry against Hegde. Hegde and Ananthan moved the Karnataka HC seeking quashing of the Lokayukta report.
The HC quashed the inquiry report in February 2004 on the grounds that he (Lokayukta) had no jurisdiction to investigate complaints against vice-chancellors and professors of universities. The Mysore University syndicate initiated no disciplinary proceedings against Ananthan. The charges levelled against Ananthan did not die there. Former Mysore University syndicate member Dr K Mahadev brought the charges to the notice of the Governor when Ananthan’s name did the rounds for the post of V-C of Tumkur University last year and Mysore and Mangalore Universities earlier.