Anna University vice-chancellor MK Surappa on Friday moved a plea in the Madras High Court seeking to quash the Government Order (GO) that appointed an inquiry commission to probe complaints of financial irregularity filed against him.

In the plea, Surappa said the State government passed a notification on November 11, 2020, forming the commission headed by retired High ourt judge P Kalaiyarasan since the ruling dispensation was not happy that he didn’t toe its line. “The notification is an abuse of process of law as the very complainants do not exist, and the commission of inquiry was not appointed to inquire into the complaints received but to find if any complaint can be made against the petitioner to harass the petitioner,” Surappa stated.

“Certain actions I took as a vice-chancellor and as an academician do not find favour with the higher education secretary...” he said. “I am being punished for not toeing the line of the Principal Secretary of the State higher education department,” he emphasised.

“Demands were made by the office of the higher education secretary for payment of a few bills for decorative items purchased for the offices of the secretary and the minister of higher education. As these items were violating purchase procedures and were not meant for the university I did not accept such demands, he said. Justice S Vaidyanathan has agreed to hear the plea on Saturday.