Interim order extended in criminal case against NU professor

Parallel petition challenging compulsory retirement also pending before HC

Morung Express News
Kohima | August 21

The Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, on August 20 extended its interim order in a criminal case involving former Nagaland University professor Sarat Chandra Yenisetti, ensuring that the ongoing trial will not be disposed of until the High Court takes up his petition again.

Justice Susmita Phukan Khaund adjourned the matter to September 18 after Yenisetti's counsel sought an adjournment, submitting that the case had been wrongly listed. The Court directed that the interim order would remain in force until then.

The interim order, however, does not stay the trial. It stems from the High Court's earlier June 15 order, when the Court, after taking note of the challenge to the criminal proceedings, directed that while the trial could continue, the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Zunheboto, should not dispose of the trial during the pendency of the criminal petition before the High Court.

The Court had then called for the records of GR Case No. 43/2024 from the trial court.

Yenisetti has moved the High Court under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, challenging the continuation of the criminal proceedings and seeking interference with the ongoing trial. According to the June 15 order, charges had already been framed against him on January 23, 2026, and five of the 13 prosecution witnesses listed in the chargesheet had been examined.

He has contended that he was wrongly and falsely prosecuted and has also questioned the framing of charges.

While declining to halt the trial, the High Court had specifically left it open to Yenisetti to inform the trial court about the pendency of his petition. The August 20 order has now continued the direction preventing the final disposal of the criminal case until the next hearing on September 18.

Challenge to compulsory retirement
Meanwhile, a parallel writ petition filed by Yenisetti challenging his compulsory retirement from Nagaland University is also pending before the High Court.

The petition challenges the University's June 2, 2025 order compulsorily retiring him from service following an inquiry. Yenisetti has contended that the inquiry was conducted under Rule 14 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, which, according to the petition, had not been adopted by Nagaland University. He has also questioned the legality of imposing compulsory retirement under Statute 28(2) of the University.

In the latest hearing on August 20, the matter was adjourned to September 17 after Yenisetti's counsel submitted that the petitioner had not received a copy of the affidavit filed by the University.

Counsel for the University informed the Court that an affidavit had been filed on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar.

The parallel proceedings come amid continuing opposition to Yenisetti's reported reinstatement appeal from student and civil society bodies.

Meanwhile, on August 19, the Lotha Students' Union, Lotha Youth Hoho and Lotha Eloe Hoho urged Nagaland University to conclude the pending disciplinary matter before taking any decision on his reinstatement.

The bodies also backed concerns raised by the student community and sought a fair and reasoned conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings before any decision on his appeal.

The cases stem from allegations of misconduct against the former professor in November 2024, including the alleged verbal abuse of a group of master's students and the alleged physical assault and manhandling of a female Assistant Professor from the same department.

As reflected in the court records, Nagaland University subsequently ordered his compulsory retirement following disciplinary proceedings arising from the allegations.