Tainted ex-VC may return with key Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology post

BHUBANESWAR: In a fresh controversy, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) has proposed to make "tainted" former vice-chancellor D P Ray a board of management member, the apex decision making body of the university. Opposing the move, MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai has written a protest letter to governor and chancellor of universities S C Jamir.
Ray was involved in a number of controversies during his two terms as the VC of OUAT. He had to relinquish the top post after uproar in the assembly regarding the "illegal" one month's extension given to him at the end of his second term of three years, which ended on December 17 last year.
Sources said both the university authorities and the agriculture department have recommended Ray's name for a membership in the 15-member BoM, which fell vacant after the death of noted agricultural scientist Niranjan Panda recently. The membership is for a period of five years and entitles the member have a say in the university's key decisions.
A section of varsity fraternity apprehends that Ray will use his position to cover up the wrongdoings during his tenure as VC. Requesting the governor not to appoint Ray in the BoM, Lok Sabha member Tarai wrote that Ray's position in the BoM will be detrimental to OUAT's interests.
In his letter, Tarai also pointed out that a criminal case is pending against Ray for allegedly misbehaving with a woman faculty member in 2009. Besides, during his tenure as VC from 2006 to 2012, instances of violation of statute and illegal appointments to ineligible persons were made, resulting in numerous court cases, Tarai wrote.
The university authorities distanced themselves from the latest recommendations. "It is up to the government to take a decision. I am no authority to appoint a BoM member," said vice-chancellor Manoranjan Kar.
Notably, the government warned to stop grants-in-aid to the agriculture and technology university over manipulations in the state finance department's notification while regularizing a group of the varsity employees during Ray's tenure as VC. A PIL challenging the VC's appointments from the entry level up to the VC is pending in the HC.