New Delhi: Union HRD minister Smriti Irani is understood to have convened a meeting of her officials in the wake of the resignation of the IIT-Delhi director Raghunath K.S. Shevgaonkar.

Late in the evening the HRD ministry issued a rejoinder denying the news report. A statement issued by the ministry said Mr Shevgaonkar resigned resisting pressure is “factually inaccurate and incorrect” and unnecessarily drags the HRD ministry into the issue where no direction has been issued by the ministry.

“There is neither any request from Sachin Tendulkar for the gro-und of IIT for running a Cricket academy nor any instruction from HRD ministry to provide the same. The HRD ministry has neither forwarded Subr-amanian Swamy’s request to IIT-Delhi nor given any direction to make payment of arrears to Dr Swamy. Views of DoPT and finance ministry have been sought on the matter,” the statement said.

“IIT-Delhi chairman has forwarded the director’s resignation letter on December 26 evening for appointing authority’s decision following due process. Resignation can only be accepted by the appointing authority. It will have to go to the President for his approval as the visitor of IIT-Delhi,” the HRD ministry statement added.

Meanwhile, Sachin, Tendulkar took to Twitter to express his anguish over the issue. “I am appalled to read the stories that suggest some land has been asked from IIT-D for an academy in my name. I have not even planned any academy neither do I want any piece of land for any purpose. Wish that basic facts are checked from me before publishing such fiction using my name,” he said in a couple of tweets.