Allahabad HC sets aside suspension of BHU prof

Justice CD Singh disposed of professor Shail Kumar Chaube’s petition, directing the university to place all material related to his suspension before its executive council within two weeks of receiving a certified copy of the order.

The Allahabad high court has set aside the suspension of professor Shail Kumar Chaube, a faculty members at the zoology department, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

The allegation against the professor was that he made vague remarks, undignified in nature, on the students. (For representation)

Justice CD Singh disposed of Chaube’s petition, directing the university to place all material related to his suspension before its executive council within two weeks of receiving a certified copy of the order.

“Thereafter, the Executive Council is directed to pass appropriate and reasoned order after giving opportunity of hearing to the petitioner, expeditiously,” the court said.

During the hearing, Chaube’s counsel argued that a division bench of the high court had earlier set aside his compulsory retirement, following which the university suspended him. Counsel for BHU, senior advocate Ajeet Kumar Singh, informed the court that the executive council had already been constituted and the matter would be placed before it for a fresh decision.

Accepting the request of Chaube’s counsel, the court directed that the executive council take into account the observations made in the division bench judgment in Special Appeal No. 958 of 2024 (Banaras Hindu University Varanasi and 4 others vs. Shail Kumar Chaube) while deciding the matter expeditiously.

The allegation against the professor was that he made vague remarks, undignified in nature, on the students. Later, an inquiry was conducted against the professor by the internal complaint committee of BHU in December 2108 and disciplinary action was taken against him. The order dated September 16 was made public on September 24.