Visva-Bharati’s officiating registrar Ashok Mahato on Tuesday evening sought in writing explanations from two professors, who are also office-bearers of the Visva-Bharati University Faculty Association (VBUFA), for sending a letter to varsity Chancellor and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “government dignitaries” about the varsity’s delay in disbursing salaries and pensions for June.

Suspended economics professor and VBUFA president Sudipta Bhattacharyya and philosophy professor and VBUFA secretary Kaushik Bhattacharya had emailed Modi and others on July 6.

The central varsity in an order on June 18 had asked employees not to send service-related grievances to “dignitaries of the Government of India” and warned violators of action.

Mahato charged the duo with sending the emails “without taking permission from the university authority”, which was “contrary to the statutory rules”. Many insiders said there was no such rule. The varsity’s officiating PRO Anirban Sircar did not respond to this paper’s calls or WhatsApp text on the matter.