After 5 months of guv's orders, MAFSU suspends 6 officials

NAGPUR: The Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Science University (MAFSU) bosses woke up from their deep slumber after almost five months of Dr MB Bhusari submitting his enquiry report. Based on this, the university has suspended six officials on Monday, a couple of days after its official building was inaugurated by chancellor K Sankaranarayanan.
Even the inaugural function was marred in controversy as MAFSU officials barred media and students from attending the function.Former vice chancellor Dr Arun Ninawe has already been ousted on corruption charges in May last year.
Those who got the stick included assistant deans - Dr DM Bajad, Dr SN Bhonsale, Dr RL Dhoble, Dr DB Sarode, Vijay Kalbande and Zakir Ali. The university also served show cause notices to 40 serving and retired officials and stopped their post retirement benefits.
Former officiating VC DS Zagade had constituted a five-member panel under Dr Bhusari to investigate alleged irregularities in recruitments and promotions in the university. The panel in its 207 page report, submitted on November 8 last year, found massive irregularities during Ninawe's tenure.
The city-based university which offers bachelor's and masters degrees in veterinary, animal husbandry and fisheries with around ten colleges affiliated to it was in the thick of controversies ever since its inception due to allegations of large-scale irregularities in appointments of over 400 posts. Even the teaching and non-teaching employees complained to the governor against alleged victimization by Ninawe and his corrupt practices, and a case was also filed in the high court.
The issue found its way into the state assembly and council after which the government instituted a departmental enquiry from former divisional commissioner Anand Limaye on January 4, 2009. After Limaye's report corroborated the irregularities, the government asked the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) to probe them. Additionally, another panel of a retired IAS bureaucrat VS Dhondge was also set up to probe validity of the recruitments made during Ninawe's tenure since 2007.
His suspension finally came when complaints against him mounted which prompted the chancellor to take the extreme step through a May 6, 2010 order. Ninawe was perhaps the first head of any university in the state to get suspended just before his tenure was to conclude in a week. The action came for his alleged role in irregular recruitments, corruption, misbehaviour and victimization of employees.
The tainted VC who was appointed at MAFSU on May 17, 2007, was replaced by animal husbandry commissioner DS Zagade. Later, Panjabrao Krishi Vidyapeeth VC VM Mayinde took over the additional charge of MAFSU. Based on Bhusari panel's recommendations, the chancellor had asked Mayinde to take action against tainted officials which came after five months.