Plagiarism victim runs from pillar to post seeking justice

Jaipur: "It is very difficult for me at this age to seek justice knocking every door," said octogenarian Ph D scholar who blames the University of Rajasthan for not acting on plagiarism by three professors.

M L Jhanwar, former director of Geological Survey of India in 2012, had accused three professors of the University of Rajasthan for plagiarising a research article titled ‘Mining, Environment Crisis and Development’.

Two of the “plagiarists”, Rajiv Sinha and D K Pandey, are accused of publishing the article in a journal in 2000 and the third, S S Chauhan, is accused of releasing the same work in 2011 through a Delhi journal.

"The only thing we expect that our work is recognised. Even at this age when I learnt that my work was abused by three different persons, I felt cheated. I can only wait for the university to take action against them," says Jhanwar.

The allegations have been brought to the notice of various vice-chancellors of the university during the last two years. “I have explained the case to a lot of people in the administration time and again but never got substantial results,” he rues.

On December 15, 2014, Jhanwar met Vice-Chancellor H S Bhati to remind him and request for an appropriate action against the plagiarists to protect the prestige of the university.

One complaint letter was sent to Griffith University, Australia, where one of the plagiarists, Rajiv Sinha had joined as a research fellow. Following the letter, Sinha was removed from the position in 2013. “Why cannot the Rajasthan University take similar action and maintain its credibility,” Jhanwar questions.

However, D K Pandey, Professor in the Department of Geology, claims that he was falsely involved in the matter.

“I was not acknowledged by Rajiv Sinha that my name had been added as a co-author. This controversy has already defamed my position. I also have documentary proofs of Sinha apologizing for his act and requesting the Vice-Chancellor not to doubt my abilities. He had also accepted that I was oblivious of any such paper published under my name,” clarifies Pandey.

S S Chauhan, Assistant Professor, Rajasthan University, adds, “I know I am accused but then if Jhanwar is sure, he should take a legal path and prove me wrong.”

Head of the Department of Geology, Anil Maheshwari, says, "It is unfortunate that such cases come up. There are rare chances that plagiarism occurs in the field of science."

Meanwhile, Jhanwar plans to seek administrative permission and police protection for a protest outside the university in the hope to seek justice.

By: Punita Maheshwari