The Lalit Narayan Mithila University (LNMU) administration on Sunday served a “show-cause notice” on a university teacher for allegedly misbehaving with vice-chancellor Saket Kushwaha while he was inspecting a department.

The LNMU registrar’s office served the notice on Hrishikesh Jha, a teacher with the postgraduate department of Sanskrit, asking him to reply within 24 hours, failing which the varsity administration would be free to take disciplinary action against him.

Jha allegedly misbehaved with vice-chancellor Saket Kushwaha on November 7, when the latter was on inspection in the university’s post-graduate Sanskrit department. During inspection, Kushwaha wanted to know why Jha had not yet submitted the internal report on a research scholar, Damodar Shastri, when the external’s report had already reached the varsity. Shastri pursued his research under Jha.

Various research scholars have complained to Kushwaha that their viva was not being conducted pending supervisors’ report. Kushwaha had asked supervisors concerned to submit internal reports so that viva could be conducted. In the course of his inspection in the Sanskrit department, he tried to know from Jha why he had not submitted the report of Shashtri, who is pursuing PhD under the latter. Instead of replying, Jha allegedly misbehaved with Kushwaha.

The vice-chancellor said: “During my inspection, I raised the issue with Hrishikesh Jha as Shastri was pursuing his PhD under his supervision. Jha misbehaved with me and when I asked him to see me in my office, he came and again misbehaved with me.” The university registrar, who was present in the VC’s room, said Jha raised his voice at Kushwaha, saying he could not submit the report in such a short time. It was only on the registrar’s intervention that he calmed down.

Jha said: “The VC came to the department from the rear end. Not having noticed him, I did not stand up, continuing to do my work. When I stood up, he raised a volley of questions. Later, he asked his bodyguard to take me in his vehicle. I was taken to the VC’s office with the bodyguard as if I were an accused.”