DVAC gets syndicate nod to probe into irregularities in TU appointments 

The preliminary enquiry made by DVAC found out violations of rules in the appointment of 21 professors and around 100 non-teaching staff in 2017.
 
Published: 15th October 2019 06:54 PM 

 
By Express News Service

THANJAVUR: The Syndicate of Tamil University has given permission to Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) to register a case against former registrar S Muthukumar and his personal assistant Sakthi Saravanan over alleged irregularities in the appointment of 21 professors and 100 non-teaching staff in the University during 2017. The decision was taken at the Syndicate meeting held in Chennai on Saturday.

The DVAC had conducted a preliminary enquiry and had sought Government’s permission to register a case against G Baskaran, former Vice-Chancellor, S Muthukumar, former Registrar, G Sakthi Saravanan, Assistant and P.A. to the registrar and N Baskaran, the Director of Distance Education.

The government clarified that permission was not required to register a case against G Baskaran, the former VC and N Baskaran as they were no longer public servants. Subsequently, DVAC sought permission from the Syndicate for filing cases against S Muthukumar, former registrar and G SakthiSaravanan who are still public servants.

The Madurai Branch of Madras High Court which was hearing a batch of petitions opined that the Syndicate cannot sit in judgment over the enquiry conducted by DVAC and the approval of the Syndicate was only a formal approval. Also, the court directed the Vice-Chancellor and the Syndicate to respond to the DVAC in two weeks time.

Following this, the Syndicate meeting of the Tamil University was held at Chennai on October 9 to decide upon according permission to DVAC to file regular cases. Though there was clear direction from the court, the meeting could not take a decision and it was decided to take the legal opinion.

However, when the meeting was held once again on October 12 (Saturday), at Chennai, the Syndicate accorded permission to DVAC to file a regular case. This decision was reported to the Madurai Bench of Madras High court on Monday.

It might be noted the preliminary enquiry made by DVAC found out violations of rules in the appointment of 21 professors and around 100 non-teaching staff during the year 2017. It is said many of the 21 persons appointed as professors did not guide a single Ph.D., scholar which was a requirement. Even some selected
candidate did not have Ph.D., in the relevant department.

Many eligible candidates with high Academic Performance Indicators (API) score were not selected whereas those with low scores were selected, the inquiry found. Some of those already working in the University were approached for 15-40 lakhs as gratification for promotion/appointment as Professor, the preliminary enquiry by DVAC revealed. As allegations were held as substantiated the DVAC proposed to register a regular case under various sections of Indian Penal Code and sections of Prevention of Corruption Act. With the permission of the Syndicate, it is learnt that DVAC would soon file an FIR in the case.

It was cadre who put up banner out of ‘love & affection’: Jayagopal

Justice CV Karthikeyan, following a plea from government counsel seeking time to file the counter-affidavit, adjourned the matter till Thursday (October 17).

Published: 16th October 2019 05:16 AM

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A daughter lost her life in the process of welcoming a daughter-in-law, the Madras High Court observed on Tuesday, referring to the death of techie Subashri in a road mishap after a hoarding put up for the wedding of former councillor C Jayagopal’s son fell on her.

The court made the oral observation while hearing the bail plea of Jayagopal. In his bail petition, Jayagopal submitted that it was his party cadre who put up the banners, out of ‘love and affection’, and he had no role in it. Police mechanically included his name in the FIR without conducting proper probe, he alleged.

Justice CV Karthikeyan, following a plea from government counsel seeking time to file the counter-affidavit, adjourned the matter till Thursday (October 17).

CM Palaniswami to receive honorary doctorate

The Chief Minister will also deliver the convocation address.

Published: 16th October 2019 05:08 AM 

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami. | File Photo

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Dr MGR Educational and Research Institute, deemed to be university, will confer the degree of Honoris Causa (Doctor of Letters - D.Litt) on Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami during its 28th convocation on October 20. The Chief Minister will also deliver the convocation address.

Along with Palaniswami, four others will also get honorary degrees. G Satheesh Reddy, Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman DRDO, S Raja Sabapathy, Chairman and Director, Ganga Hospital will be conferred with honorary D.Sc., Degrees, Harris Jayaraj, music director-cum-composer and Shobana Chandrakumar, dancer and actor, will be conferred with honorary D.Litt degrees.

Already, former Chief Ministers M Karunanidhi and MG Ramachandran were conferred two doctorate degrees, while former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was honoured with five.

Duo yet to reveal NEET impersonator’s name

State Public Prosecutor tells Madurai bench the two accused in the case are not cooperating with investigation

Published: 16th October 2019 05:19 AM 

By Express News Service

MADURAI: The CB-CID told the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that the medical student KV Udit Suriya and his father KS Venkatesan, arrested in connection with the NEET impersonation case, have not yet revealed the name of the impersonator.

Appearing on behalf of the CB-CID, State Public Prosecutor A Natarajan submitted that the duo was not cooperating with the investigation and that Venkatesan has still not revealed the name of the impersonator engaged by them to write the examination on behalf of Suriya.

It was also informed to the court that Venkatesan, pursuant to dismissal of his bail plea by a Judicial Magistrate(JM) court, had moved another petition on Monday before the Principal District and Sessions Court in Theni.

Recording the facts, Justice GR Swaminathan, who heard the case, directed the Registry of the High Court Bench to call for Venkatesan’s bail plea documents from the Sessions Court to hear the same along with Suriya’s petition at the next hearing on October 17. Earlier, the judge orally questioned the CB-CID as to why they have not sought for the custody of the two accused.

The father-son duo was nabbed by the CB-CID from Tirupati on September 25 and subsequently was arrested the following day. Their judicial custody was recently extended by the Theni JM court till October 24. So far, the CB-CID has apprehended nine persons, including a broker and four students and their parents in connection with the case.

Bail pleas rejected once again

The Theni Judicial Magistrate Court dismissed the bail petitions of two students Rahul and Praveen and their fathers who were arrested in NEET impersonation case. The bail petitions were filed on September 30. This is the third time the court rejected their bail petitions. Meanwhile, CB-CID police on Monday took one-day custody of Irfan, who had surrendered before Salem court in connection with the scam, and produced him before the court on Tuesday. Magistrate Panneer Selvam extended his judicial remand till October 25. Later Irfan was taken to Theni Prison. It may be recalled that Udit Suriya, another student, secured a seat in Government Theni Medical College using an impersonator. Suriya and his father Venkatesan are lodged in Madurai Central Prison. Following inquiries with them, police arrested students Rahul, Praveen and Priyanga and their parents in connection to the scam.

Express readers across South India help this Chennai student kickstart her career in medicine

Readers have made a total contribution of Rs 60,000 in cash, apart from sponsoring her medical text books, ever since Express carried an article about her success in cracking the NEET exam in July.
 
Published: 14th October 2019 11:16 PM 

 
  Charumathi at her residence in Perumbakkam (Photo| Special Arrangement)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Help has continued to pour in from various quarters towards the education of the Government school girl who cracked NEET after Express carried an article titled 'Govt school girl scripts a NEET success story' on July 27. Readers have made a total contribution of Rs 60,000 in cash, apart from sponsoring her medical text books, so far.

G Sankaran, a resident of Besant Nagar in Chennai made a contribution of Rs 25,000 for Charumathi J who now studies at the Thiruvarur medical college. "After I read the article, I thought this girl deserved a helping hand," said Sankaran.

A Bengaluru-based lawyer and a resident of Odisha, who want to remain anonymous, contributed Rs 5,000 each after reading the article that was shared by a relative. A resident of Vellore, who also wanted to remain anonymous contributed Rs 10,000 towards her education.

Charumathi went on to score 370 in her NEET exams despite being relocated to her house in Saidapet to the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board resettlement tenement in Perumbakkam. She was a student of the Government school in Kelambakkam. Her father, who has a juice cart, and her elder sister, had taken loans for her NEET coaching.

Earlier, an Express reader Parthasarathy R, a retired senior manager, Bank of India, had contributed Rs 10,000 and a retired television news producer Preetha A Anand had come forward to sponsor her medical  textbooks. Preetha has since contributed Rs 5,000 in addition.

Speaking to Express, Charumathi's sister said, " I'm thankful to each of them. The help is also timely since our father has not been able to go to work since he has been diagnosed with cancer. It'll help cover her annual fees of Rs 13,000 apart from other needs."

Varsity no place for politics: Dy. CM
 
16/10/2019 , Staff Reporter, Bengaluru

Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan defended the decision of the university to not conduct the programme.

“The university is not a place to discuss politics. These are places for learning,” he said. Sources in the Higher Education Department said the thinking was that his speech maybe “inflammatory” and may have an “adverse impact” on students. However, the department remained non-committal when asked if they had directed the university to call off the programme.

Parameshwara seeks time from I-T Dept. to produce documents

16/10/2019 , staff reporter, Bengaluru

G. Parameshwara

Former Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, who appeared before the Income Tax Department for questioning on Tuesday, sought more time to produce documents that the department had sought from him.

The I-T Department recently searched his premises and that of Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education (SSAHE), Tumakuru, of which Dr. Parameshwara is the secretary, over the alleged “medical seat blocking scam” at colleges run by the academy. The I-T officials had claimed to have uncovered undeclared income to the tune of ₹100 crore during these searches against SSAHE and another college in Kolar.

“The department sought several documents from me today. I have cooperated with the agency in their probe, but have sought four days to produce these documents. They have given me that time,” Dr. Parameshwara told presspersons at the I-T office on Tuesday.

Probe sought

He also sought a “thorough investigation” into the death of his personal assistant Ramesh. “There has been reckless speculation in media about his death. Some channels have even alleged that I got him killed, which has pained me. I will write to the Chief Minister and Home Minister seeking a thorough investigation into his death,” he said.

Medical seat scam in ..

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