Kerala High Court has upheld the suspension of Dr M R Saseendranath as the Vice Chancellor of the College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad. Kerala Governor Dr Arif Mohammed Khan suspended him in his capacity as the Chancellor of the Universities in the State in the light of the alleged murder of J S Sidharthan on February 18, 2024.
The petition was filed before the Court challenging the power and right of the Governor to suspend the Vice Chancellor. The Court rejected the plea to stay the suspension order. The verdict was proclaimed after detailed arguments. Saseendranath had told the media persons immediately after the suspension that the suspension order would not be legally challenged. But, he still moved the Court, thanks to the reported insistence of the State Government. The Court has rejected this petition after hearing the detailed arguments.
Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Dean M K Narayanan and R Kanthanathan, the Tutor and Assistant Hostel Warden were suspended on March 5, 2023, by the then-officiating Vice Chancellor, P C Saseendran. Saseendran had to quit the job as Chancellor. Dr Arif Mohammed Khan cancelled his order reinstating 33 students suspended in connection with J S Sidharthan’s death. The entire report suggested that the accused were SFI men.
Later on, the Governor gave the responsibilities of the Vice Chancellor to Dr K S Anil.
This journal carried several stories during the month of March about the brutal torture J S Sidharthan had undergone and his tragic death, which is reported to be a murder. We had explained how the State Government slow-pedalled in connection with the enquiry. When J S Sidharthan’s parents declared agitation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared a CBI enquiry. But, the dispatch of the documents to CBI was delayed. Again, the poor father of the deceased had to declare agitation before the documents were sent to Delhi; delaying tactics played a significant role. If not CM Pinarayi, who else is to blame for it? Therefore, if Dr M R Saseendranath had moved the High Court by going back on his previous statement, it is sure that CPM and its top brass instigated him.
