IIT-D Director continues office after notice expires

NEW DELHI: Amid the prevailing uncertainty over his continuation as the IIT-Delhi Director, R K Shevgaonkar today reported to work and held meetings with faculties even as the three months notice period following his resignation ended yesterday.

He was in good spirits and held post as a "true director", said one of the faculties who met him.

Shevgaonkar is yet to receive relieving orders from the HRD Ministry, even as sources in the Ministry contended that no rule prevents him from staying on.

He could, however, be awaiting a formal communication from the Ministry, which could be sent to him soon, they claimed.

There was, though, no clarity as to why the Ministry was delaying the decision on his fate.

Shevgaonkar had resigned on December 22 amid controversy, seeking to be relieved by the first week of January. He has now served his mandatory notice of three months.

His resignation had stirred a controversy with more than two years of his tenure left as reports suggested that he was under pressure from the Ministry.

The Ministry had later denied reports suggesting that he resigned after he was allegedly put under pressure on some issues which included paying nearly Rs 70 lakh to former IIT-D faculty and now BJP leader Subramaniwan Swamy as his "salary dues" between 1972 and 1981.

Questions have also been raised about his role in setting up of an extension research campus in Mauritius. An enquiry is already underway about the MoU signed in this regard.