IIT-Delhi director resigned because he was unmasked, alleges Swamy

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday alleged that the reason behind Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Delhi director Raghunath K Shevgaonkar resignation, more than two years before the end of his term, is because he was unmasked.

"The IIT-Delhi director was appointed by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government he was caught for failing to inform the government of India of opening a branch of IIT in Mauritius. The IIT director has been unmasked that is why he has resigned, he violated the code of conduct and IIT statutes. He tried to play the victim," said Swamy.

"The order of my termination was held null and void and the court said 'therefore he is deemed to have continued as a professor' which means all my salaries have to be paid. So I only asked for that, they were delaying it so I went to the court it issued notice to the government, and the government asked the director the reason for delay," he added.

Further lashing out at a private newspaper for publishing the wrong report Swamy said, "The Times of India violated principle of fair reporting, the order of my termination was null and void. I am surprised why this briefing and the TOI's failure to contact me to ask me, I would have put them wise to it. The TOI violated the principle of fair reporting and that's why I have sent them a notice for Rs. 1 crore."

Yesterday, The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) had denied involvement over the resignation tendered by Shevgaonkar, adding that media reports to the contrary were 'factually inaccurate and incorrect'.

Previously, media reports had stated that Shevgaonkar, who had more than two years left of his current term, was under pressure from the ministry to release pay of nearly Rs 70 lakh to former IIT-D faculty and now BJP leader Subramanian Swamy as his salary dues between 1972 and 1991. The report further stated that the ministry was also piling pressure on the premier institution to release land for former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to start a cricket academy.