IIT withdraws affidavit against vigilance body

Under apparent pressure from the Human Resources Development Ministry, IIT Kharagpur (IIT-Kgp) has withdrawn an affidavit filed in Delhi High Court, challenging the jurisdiction of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which had directed action against three IIT professors for their alleged involvement in a scam, here on Monday. The development comes after the Ministry summoned top IIT-Kgp officials last week to seek an explanation, sources said, adding that the affidavit was withdrawn on Monday.

They said the ball is now in IIT-Kgp's court to act fast against the professors before the ministry contemplates its next move. The summoning of the officials last Thursday came after the anti-corruption watchdog had asked the ministry whether it was consulted by the premier technical institute before moving the high court. IIT-Kgp had in March claimed it is an autonomous body and the corruption watchdog has no jurisdiction over it. Filing an affidavit before the Delhi High Court on 20 March, in a case filed by whistle-blower Rajeev Kumar, the prestigious institution sought dismissal of Kumar's plea on the ground of CVC's jurisdiction. ‘CVC does not have jurisdiction over the answering respondent (IIT Kharagpur)...,’ the affidavit filed by IIT- Kgp's registrar, Tapan Kumar Ghoshal said.