JNU row: Chief Proctor resigned much before the Afzal Guru row, says varsity official

New Delhi: Amid speculation that JNU's Chief Proctor quit from the post over handling of the Afzal Guru row, JNU on Saturday said he had resigned much before the controversy broke out.

A section of teachers and students have been claiming that Krishna Kumar, former Chief Proctor, who demitted office on February 29, resigned from the post as the administration was pressurising him about the inquiry of the panel investigating the row over an event against hanging of Afzal Guru.

"Krishna Kumar resigned from the post in late January citing personal reasons. The newly-appointed Vice-Chancellor had asked him to continue till the end of February and meanwhile an appointment was finalised to the post," a senior varsity official told PTI.

"His resignation has nothing to do with the present controversy as the event in question took place on February 9, while he had resigned much before than that. The two incidents should not be put together," he added.

AP Dimri from the School of Environmental Sciences assumed office as the Chief Proctor on March 1.

Repeated calls and text messages to Kumar for comments on the resignation went unanswered.

JNU is caught in a row over an event on campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which "anti-national" slogans were allegedly raised.

Kumar was also member of the disciplinary committee instituted by the university to probe the February 9 event. A day later, broadening the panel, a three-member committee was appointed.

However, under pressure from teachers and students, the university had added two more members to the panel.

On the basis of a preliminary report by the panel, the varsity had debarred eight students from academic activity, allowing them to stay as guests in hostels till the inquiry proceedings were over.

The students, however, have refused to depose before the inquiry panel demanding that the investigation be started afresh to ensure a fair process.

While the JNU Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar was released on bail, two students, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, are still in judicial custody.