NU inquiry panel, cop roughed up by CIIMC director

Nagpur: A three-member inquiry panel of Nagpur University (NU), led by retired judge BC Chandrikapure, and a cop was allegedly roughed up by Central India Institute of Mass Communication (CIIMC) director Sunil Mishra during the committee’s visit to CIIMC to investigate students’ complaints.
Mishra was booked for allegedly assaulting and intimidating Chandrikapure, NU’s deputy registrar Anil Hirekhan, academic council member MS Wankhede, who are on the panel, and a cop present to provide security to the committee members.

However, Mishra accused NU registrar Puran Meshram and Hirekhan of trying to intimidate him to withdraw his cases and appeals under RTI against them. Mishra also shared photographs and video of the damage caused to his institute by the owner of Aashirwad Theatre, on whose premises the institute is being run, allegedly at the behest of Meshram-Hirekhan duo.

Interestingly, a video shared by Mishra shows two other cameramen recording the proceedings amid police presence at CIIMC. NU officials claimed the recordings were precautionary to prevent Mishra from making any allegations against the university or panel. The cops too got the episode video recorded.

The FIR against Mishra was lodged at Ganeshpeth police station after administrative approval from acting vice-chancellor Pramod Yeole. “A notesheet was put up before me regarding the attack on our employee. Hence, I gave permission to file a police complaint,” Yeole told TOI.

On Friday, the committee had gone to CIIMC to investigate several allegations made by its students. The NU officials said Mishra got infuriated when they started video recording the proceedings.

Meshram said the students had submitted serious complaints against CIIMC on November 20, December 4 and 11 last year. “The students have alleged that their leaving certificates and marksheets were withheld by CIIMC. Exam fee charged from the students was not deposited with the NU and the institute was charging varying fee from different students enrolled under 10 courses being run there,” Meshram said. He added there are also complaints that no faculty member was appointed by the CIIMC and thus no classes are conducted.

The issue was placed before the management council in its December 16, 2017 meeting followed by setting up of Chandrikapure panel by the council.

Mishra refuted the charges and questioned why the police didn’t register FIR if he had indeed assaulted a cop.

“I was only objecting to setting up of one more panel when the HC has already set up Justice Kudbe committee. It was an attempt to take over the property. They were forcibly asking for papers. It is a civil committee so there was no need for the presence of cops. In between, the building owner came with 12 men to take control of CIIMC premises. I was objecting to the trespassing,” he said.

Mishra added he had filed a complaint application but action was taken only on NU’s complaint.