Bengaluru/Mysuru: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has challenged the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order, which had stayed the transfer of Prof. Ram Rajasekharan, Director of Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), in the High Court yesterday.

When Star of Mysore tried to contact Prof. Rajasekharan, here this morning, he was not available for comments. The sources in the Director’s office said that he had not come to work in the morning and they were not aware of any developments.

A division bench comprising Justice H. G. Ramesh and Justice K. S. Mudagal has admitted the petition filed by CSIR in the matter. CAT had passed an interim order staying the transfer of Rajasekharan and directed him to continue in the post of the Director till further orders.

Prof. Rajasekharan had questioned the legality of his transfer while contending that he was transferred by the CSIR without issuing notice to him. In his petition, Rajasekharan had contended that he had assumed the office of the Director of CFTRI in 2012 and could remain in the post for six years.

CSIR counsel had made a submission that a committee was constituted, comprising the Joint Secretary,   to enquire into the affairs of the CFTRI’s Director where in it was found   that Rajasekharan was allegedly regionally biased. There were also issues related to the laboratory at the CFTRI.

CAT members, however, said that enquiry report against the Director was submitted without any reply from Rajasekharan. CAT said that the Director was not heard before the submission of the report or his transfer order was issued.