Patna, Feb. 11: Patna High Court today asked the state government and the chancellor to file their replies on a PIL seeking the removal of the Kameshwar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University vice-chancellor (VC) by March 15.

Hearing a PIL filed by Students’ Federation of India (SFI), a division bench comprising Chief Justice Rekha M. Doshit and Justice Jyoti Saran asked both the government and the chancellor to tell the court what action they have taken against the VC Nand Kishore Sharma.

Sharma has been embroiled in criminal cases for financial and administrative irregularities in the university.

SFI, the CPM students’ wing, sought Sharma’s removal on the ground that his continuance in the post was bringing bad name to the institution, thus vitiating the academic atmosphere of the university.

The petitioner’s counsel, M.P. Gupta, submitted that the court should direct the state government to take punitive action against the erring VC and also initiate the process to appoint the new VC with a good academic record.

The continuation of the incumbent VC, who has been absconding in many criminal cases, has not only worsened the academic atmosphere of the institution but also had its negative impact on the students as the head of the institution and other officials have been involved in many criminal cases for financial embezzlement and administrative irregularities, Gupta contended.

He said even the committee constituted by the chancellor has found the charge of corruption as true, before adding that it was high time that the VC be removed.

Last June, the director of higher education had found Sharma and other varsity officials involved in alleged financial irregularities amounting to Rs 1 crore and directed the lodging of an FIR under Prevention of Corruption Act.