CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Friday stayed further investigations into cases against Periyar University vice-chancellor R Jagannathan. Jagannathan is facing criminal cases including one under the SC/ST Act.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh passed the interim order on a plea moved by the vice-chancellor seeking to quash the FIRs registered against him.
“From the materials available, there is no criminality involved in the case,” the judge said.
Jagannathan was arrested on December 26 last for floating the Periyar University Technological Entrepreneurship Research (PUTER) Foundation allegedly without the approval of the state and the syndicate of the university.
He was also charged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly threatening and abusing the legal advisor of the Periyar University Employees’ Union (PUEU).
However, the jurisdictional magistrate refused to remand him in judicial custody and granted him interim bail.
While a plea moved by Salem police to cancel the bail granted to the vice-chancellor is pending before the high court, Jagannathan moved the present plea seeking to quash the FIR registered against him.
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