The University of Peradeniya has suspended a professor attached to its Department of History with immediate effect after a preliminary investigation found him guilty of plagiarising a research paper authored by the late Professor Leslie Gunawardana and publishing it under his own name.
In addition to the suspension, the professor has also been barred from entering university premises.
The action follows a complaint lodged by a nephew of the late Professor Gunawardana, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya, who is currently residing in the United States.
A preliminary investigation committee comprising retired Court of Appeal Judge R.B. Ranaraja and Prof. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri was appointed to inquire into the allegations.
According to the committee’s findings, the professor had copied and republished a research paper originally written and published in English by Professor Leslie Gunawardana under his own name.
Based on the recommendations of the preliminary inquiry, the professor was suspended from service, while a formal investigation into the matter has now been launched, Peradeniya University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Terence Madhujith said.
Separately, an inquiry has also been initiated to determine whether the professor had used the allegedly plagiarised work to obtain academic promotions.
