The Kerala Students Union (KSU) has levelled serious allegations against Kannur University, claiming that the institution had unlawfully spent crores of rupees on former Vice-Chancellor (V-C) Gopinath Ravindran.
The KSU has demanded government intervention to reclaim the money allegedly misused for various purposes, including the payment of legal fees and residential expenses for Mr. Ravindran.
According to KSU State vice president P. Muhammed Shammas, information obtained through Right To Information (RTI) inquiries exposed significant expenditures related to Mr. Ravindran’s reappointment, which was quashed by the Supreme Court.
As per the disclosed data, till October 2023, ₹20.55 lakh was disbursed from the University Fund for legal fee. Additionally, over ₹59.69 lakh was allocated as salary during the reappointment period, with ₹33,080 spent on travel expenses, he said
Mr. Shammas further said that over ₹15.87 lakh was used for Mr. Ravindran’s house rent during his tenure. Moreover, ₹70.111 was utilised for maintenance, and an additional ₹11.80 lakh was spent on household equipment for the rented residence, all allegedly in violation of established norms.
The KSU State vice president accused the former Vice-Chancellor of unlawfully using funds, bypassing regulations and ethical standards. He condemned the purported use of funds collected from students’ fees for luxurious, extravagant, and illegal activities allegedly conducted by the former V-C.
The KSU has urged the government to take immediate action to recover the entirety of the funds allegedly misused by the Kannur University on the former Vice-Chancellor. If no action was taken, the KSU would pursue legal recourse to address the matter, said Mr. Shammas.
