The family of Shamin "Chippy" Shaik continues to deny the accusations of
plagiarism that last week saw Shaik stripped of his doctorate in mechanical
engineering.
Last Wednesday, the University of KwaZulu-Natal Senate accepted the
recommendations of the academic affairs board that Shaik's PhD be withdrawn,
because of "incontrovertible evidence Shaik copied from earlier work and
presented this as his own".
"Looking at the various papers, related to the thesis and published between 1997
and 2005, in isolation there is no doubt whatsoever, that someone had
plagiarised massively," the university said in its reasons for the resolution.
Yesterday, Chippy Shaik's brother and lawyer, Yunis, maintained that no reasons
had been given for Chippy being stripped of his doctorate.
He said the senate's decision was "startling and the process that produced it a
gross violation of the rules of fair play and natural justice".
His brother intended to challenge the university's decision in the High Court,
he said.
"He was not afforded a proper opportunity to defend the thesis; instead all he
was provided with (was) a list of questions to respond to.
"His written reply was comprehensive and proved
conclusively *1 that he did not plagiarise," Yunis said in a statement.
However, Richard Young, the man who spent three years investigating Shaik's PhD
at "huge expense", yesterday told the Cape Argus he was "relieved" with the
university's finding that collaborated 100% with his
original theory.
With acknowledgements to Sapa and Cape Argus.
*1Well, we have one earthly solar
system with eight planets in it.
Then we have Pluto which used to think it was a planet, but its status was
revoked after it was found to be circumnavigating on an entirely different
planar orbit.