New Delhi, April 8 The Delhi High Court sought the Centre's response on Wednesday to a petition alleging financial, administrative, and academic irregularities at the Indian Institute of Heritage.
A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notices to the Centre, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and the institute based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, and asked the respondents to file their replies.
Describing the issue as "serious," the court also issued a notice to the former vice-chancellor of the institute, Dr Manvi Seth.
The petition seeks the formation of an independent inquiry committee, headed by a retired high court judge or any other eminent person, to investigate the financial, administrative, and academic irregularities at the Indian Institute of Heritage.
The petition alleges unauthorized appointments, expenditure without approval from the finance committee, and diversion of public funds at the institute.
It also seeks directions to the Union Ministry of Culture to immediately initiate and complete the process of appointing a regular, full-time vice-chancellor for the institute.
The matter will be heard again in July.