Nirmala case goes to CB-CID; MKU withdraws probe

TIMES NEWS NETWORK   18.04.2018

Madurai: Director general of police T K Rajendran on Tuesday transferred the case registered by the Aruppukkottai taluk police against assistant professor Nirmala Devi to the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID).

The case was registered on Monday based on a complaint filed by Devanga Arts College secretary R Ramasamy that Nirmala allegedly tried to lure girl students of the college at Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district to do sexual favours for “top officials” in Madurai Kamaraj University. The college is affiliated to MKU.

The Virudhunagar district police is continuing a probe into teh case a day after arresting Nirmala from her house.

A police team led by additional deputy superintendent of police Mathi questioned Nirmala on Tuesday on the conversation she had with four students on March 15. Sources said the investigation was video recorded. The police analysed data on her cellphones after confiscating them. The sources said that although Nirmala has confessed to police that it was she who spoke to the girls, she reiterated that her intension was not to lure the girls to do sexual favours.

Her message was taken in the wrong context, she told police.

On Tuesday evening, Nirmala was produced before a Virudhunagar magistrate, who remanded her to 12 days in judicial custody.

Students stage protest, demand fair investigation

Students of Madurai Kamaraj University staged a protest on the university premises demanding a fair investigation to name the top officials mentioned in the phone conversation on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the faculty members and the administration staff of the university too have threatened to protest. The protest was led by Students Federation of India (SFI). They demanded a judicial inquiry . TNN

Soliciting college girls: MKU VC says did not know of case till he saw reports 

‘MKU Reputation Intact, Guv Backs Punishing Guilty’

Pradeepkumar.V @timesgroup.com   18.04.2018

He claims to possess water-divining powers. But Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) vicechancellor P P Chellathurai says he was caught unawares by the controversy caused by Devanga Arts College assistant professor Nirmala Devi, who allegedly asked some woman students to offer sexual favours to ‘top officials’. In an interview with TOI, Chellathurai said he had no idea about the case and was at pains to explain that he did not qualify as a “top university official” merely by virtue of being the vice chancellor.

It appears that the audio clip was recorded on March 15. Devanga College initiated inquiry and suspended Nirmala Devi on March 21. But MKU’s first reaction came after the audio clip was leaked online. What held you back?

Chellathurai: There was no communication from [Devanga College] about the incident to either me or the registrar or the dean of MKU. I was recovering from an eye surgery when a reporter contacted me over phone seeking my comments. It was only then I was alerted to the situation.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit said that only the chancellor holds the power to constitute an inquiry committee. Did you act in haste in forming the now withdrawn fivemember committee of MKU officebearers?

Chellathurai: As per Chapter 2 of the Madurai Kamaraj University Act, 1965, section 9 and sub section 4 (A) under section 12, the governorchancellor is vested with all powers. He is the head of the university and the president of the senate. Usually, vice-chancellors form committees to look into small, local issues concerning the university. As this was a sensitive issue, we submitted a preliminary report to the governor on Monday afternoon, and he later decided that an inquiry committee ought to be formed at the highest level.

What was the gist of your interaction with Purohit?

Chellathurai: He asked me to give full support to the inquiry committee to bring out the hidden dimensions in this issue. He is a godly, grandfatherly person. There is no greater sin, no bigger stain to the entire teaching community than implicating him (Purohit) in this issue. Those who are guilty will be punished. We must wait for the inquiry to conclude before throwing stones at people.

There is a shadow of doubt on top office-bearers at MKU due to the contents of the audio tape...

Chellathurai: I am not a top officer because I happen to be the vice chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University. In my view, this woman (Devi) works in a small college. For her, even an assistant registrar can be a top officer.

You believe that the audio tape has been doctored to sabotage MKU’s reputation...

Chellathurai: The reputation of MKU is intact. My students are happy. But we still need to determine if Madurai Kamaraj University was involved in any way. There is a possibility that the audio tape could have been doctored. 


Governer asked me to give full support to the inquiry committee to bring out the hidden dimensions in this issue, said vice-chancellor P P Chellathurai

DVAC registers corruption case against ACP after ₹5 lakh seized from office

TIMES NEWS NETWORK   18.04.2018

Chennai : Following its first surprise check at a police station in the state since 2011, on April 13, the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption (DVAC) registered a corruption case against ACP P K Kamil Basha under three sections of the IPC on Monday.

A copy of the FIR has been sent to the city police commissioner, said police officials. “Departmental action will be initiated against Basha and he will be suspended,” a top cop said.

The surprise check led by DVAC officials yielded ₹5.08 lakh in cash. While ₹2.5 lakh was stored in the form of ₹2,000 and ₹500 notes in three drawers in Basha’s office at the Thirumangalam police station, ₹2.58 lakh was recovered from a contractor who had come to meet the cop.

DVAC officials said Basha collected bribes from petitioners and counter-petitioners for settling cases, adding that the details were noted down in a diary under the guise of donations made to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.

Vigilance officials led by deputy superintendent of police Lavakumar nailed Basha following a tip that the ACP had received money from a contractor for settling a land dispute.

The DVAC team barged into his office around 10.30pm on Friday night after the contractor, identified as Selvam from Kodungaiyur, arrived to meet Basha.

Subsequently, police personnel questioned Basha and Selvam separately to verify if their statements corroborated with each other. The inquiries went on till 5am on Saturday following which DVAC officials let off Basha after informing him that he would have to appear before investigation officers for further questioning.

Police officials said Basha, who has a year to go for his retirement, had landed in trouble earlier when he was found to have delayed registering a case against a doctor from whose residence in Tiruvannamalai a 15-year-old girl from Koyambedu had been rescued last year.

A woman had taken the girl to Tiruvannamalai under the pretext of getting her a job at a medical shop before the girl was sexually exploited by many people.

The case, handled by the Tirumangalam all-woman police, was monitored directly by Basha. 



DVAC officials said Basha collected bribes from petitioners and counter-petitioners for settling cases, adding that the details were noted down in a diary under the guise of donations made to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam

Can’t interfere with ₹10L fee cap for PG med courses in Pondy: SC

Requests HC To Decide On Issue In 6 Mths

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com   18.04.2018

Chennai : Postgraduate medical students studying in deemed universities located in the union territory of Puducherry will continue to pay just ₹10 lakh as ‘interim fee’ annually. They got the reprieve on Monday, when the Supreme Court refused to interfere in the interim fee (₹10 lakh) fixed by Madras high court, until the fee fixation committee prescribes a final fee structure.

Dismissing a special leave petition filed by Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute against an order of the Madras high court, a bench comprising Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, said, “We are not inclined to interfere. The special leave petition is dismissed. However, we request the high court to decide the matter within a period of six months. At the same time, it is stated that some committee is undertaking the fee fixation in accordance. It is open to submit the report of the committee before the high court. With respect to fee structure, the fees which is realised as per impugned order, will hold good till such time the high court decides the matter.”

On June 16, 2017, as a big relief to students who had been asked to cough up fees ranging from ₹40 lakh to ₹50 lakh by Puducherry deemed universities, the high court had said it would be enough if students paid ₹10 lakh as first year’s fee and that final figures should be prescribed by a committee formed by the UGC and the Centre.

“When self-financing private medical colleges can survive by charging a fee of ₹5.5 lakh per annum for students under state quota and ₹14 lakh for students under management quota, which is 50% of the total seats, we find it difficult to accept that the fee of ₹40 lakh to ₹50 lakh per annum charged by deemed universities, is reasonable,” the high court said in its order.

Noting that it could not keep its eyes shut to the issue, the first bench of Madras high court headed by Chief Justice Indira Banerjee said, “By reason of exorbitant fee notified by deemed universities, there are still seats going vacant and students who have duly competed and succeeded in clearing the admission tests, and have undergone counselling, being deprived of an opportunity to pursue their higher studies by reason of prohibitive fees, which is prima facie unsustainable in law.”

The bench then directed the deemed universities to admit the students provisionally selected in the order of merit, subject to the condition that the student should deposit ₹10 lakh each at the time of admission towards annual fee for the first year with CENTAC, and subject to other conditions that in the event of the fee determined by the fee committee constituted by the UGC and union HRD ministry being more, they should pay the differential amount.

Never met Nirmala; only I’ve power to form probe panel, says guv in sex case 

‘Ready To Be Quizzed By Committee’

Sivakumar.B@timesgroup.com   18.04.2018

Chennai: As questions were raised about the Raj Bhavan instituting a probe into the case of a woman assistant professor allegedly asking students to offer sexual favours to higher-ups, Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit on Tuesday defended himself saying he, as the chancellor of the university, had the authority to do so.

He also denied having met Nirmala Devi, assistant professor of Devanga Arts College in Virudhunagar district (a constituent college of Madurai Kamaraj University), whose purported telephone conversation with four women students has a reference to the governor. She was arrested on Monday evening after an audiotape of the conversation went viral on Sunday, more than 25 days after the students complained to the college authorities about the assistant professor allegedly trying to lure them into offering sexual favours to some higher-ups.

“As a chancellor of the university I have powers under subsection 4(a) of Section 12 of the Madurai Kamaraj University Act, which states that in any emergency which in the opinion of the VC required immediate action, he may take action with the sanction of the chancellor or prochancellor as the case may be,” the governor told reporters at a press meet at the Raj Bhavan.

On his name being mentioned in the tape, the governor said, “I categorically deny meeting the woman. During a university convocation many people come on the stage and it is not possible to remember each one. Those on the stage may later claim that they are close to me. All the accusations against me are baseless and nonsense,” he said.

The issue took a new turn when the Raj Bhavan ordered a probe by retired IAS officer R Santhanam, hours after the MKU proposed to form a fivemember panel to investigate it.


‘Will ensure that guilty do not go unpunished’

Chennai: “The swift action was taken in an unbiased manner so as to ferret out the truth,” the governor said. “There is and there will be no attempt to shield anybody and it shall be ensured that the guilty do not go without punishment.”

He denied that the press meet was called to clear his name and said it was convened only to celebrate his completing six months in Tamil Nadu. “I am lucky to be a grandfather and a great grandfather. I am 78 years old.” The governor said he was ready to be quizzed by the probe committee.

The governor said several officials were always with him and even a bird could not come near him without their permission or knowledge. “It is not possible for the woman to state that she was close to me. He said on the issue of appointing a committee he need not consult the state government and on this he showed a book on Governor’s Guide authored by S S Upadhyay.

Stating that it is only a chancellor who has powers to appoint a committee to probe any issue regarding the university, the governor said Madurai Kamaraj University vicechancellor P P Chellathurai’s office has made some mistake with regard to constituting a panel to probe the issue. Soon after meeting the governor on Tuesday afternoon, Chellathurai issued a statement saying the proposal to form an internal committee has been withdrawn. “The university is keen that all details with regard to the incident be inquired without any bias,” he said.

Santhanam will submit a report by the monthend and it will be shared with the media, the governor said. “I assure you that strict action will be taken against those mentioned in the report. The former IAS officer has all powers to question any person, including the woman, even if she is in judicial custody. After the report is submitted, if required, we will even ask for a CBI probe,” saidthe governor. 

Governor Purohit addressing a press conference at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday

Elderly couple found murdered in south Chennai flat

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 18.04.2018

Chennai: The city police on Tuesday night started an investigation in a double murder, after residents of an apartment off Old Mahabalipuram Road, found an elderly couple, the owners of provision stores, beaten to death in a flat in the complex.

Police are yet to confirm if it was a crime for gain, but investigators said the assailants appeared to have opened a cupboard and drawers and left the Taramani flat strewn with clothes.

Mayandi, 65, and Valliammal, 55, originally from Tirunelveli, lived in a flat on the third floor of the apartment complex, an investigating officer said.

“The victims had severe injuries to the back of the head,” the officer said, adding that the wounds suggested that the assailants bludgeoned the elderly couple with a blunt object like a stick or the leg of a stool.

The police are awaiting autopsy reports from Government Royapettah Hospital to confirm the cause of death, he said. “Neighbours discovered the bodies in the flat on Tuesday evening,” the officer said. “They found Valliammal’s body near the kitchen; her husband Mayandi’s body was in the hall.”

Crime scene detectives searched the flat for clues and additional commissioner of police M C Sarangan, joint commissioner of police C Magheswari, Adyar deputy commissioner of police Rohit Nathan inspected the spot. Investigators believe the victims were acquainted with their assailants.

The police have asked family members to ascertain if valuables are missing from the flat. The elderly couple lived on income from the provision stores and rent from properties they owned.

“The killers appear to have got in the flat after the couple’s son had lunch and left the house in the afternoon,” the officer said. “The victims lived in a third-floor flat with their son, who runs a provision store and a supermarket in Chennai. ”

“The building has slots for car parking on the ground floor and the owners rented out the first and second floors to a women’s hostel,” he said. Investigators are going through security camera footage from the building and establishments nearby.

“The hostel in the building had a security guard. We asked him to identify anyone he may have observed approach the couple’s flat.”

Cash crunch at ATMs: Are ₹2,000 notes being hoarded?

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 18.04.2018

New Delhi/Mumbai: The problem of empty ATMs seems to have returned to haunt citizens in several parts of the country such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Bihar and MP, prompting the government and RBI to swing into damage-control mode and insist that there was enough currency in the system.

With the public searching for a reason for the cash crunch, the government attributed it to an “unusual spurt in currency demand”. But there is no official explanation for this spurt.

Several bank officials said a lot of 2,000-rupee notes were not coming back to banks, leading to speculation that they were going into the black economy, perhaps as they take less space to stock and are easier to transport. One theory doing the rounds is that cash is being hoarded by political parties and their supporters in the run-up to the Karnataka elections next month.

While finance minister Arun Jaitley said there was a “sudden and unusual increase” in demand in some parts of the country, the Opposition lost no time in latching on to the issue with P Chidambaram saying supply had been “arbitrarily reduced”. 



Printing of ₹500 notes to go up 5-fold

His party chief Rahul Gandhi linked the problem to the Nirav Modi fraud and demonetisation.

The government said currency supply had risen to ₹45,000 crore during the first 13 days of April — from ₹7,140 crore in the previous fortnight and ₹33,000 crore in the comparable period prior to that.

ATM operators and government officials said that on an average, over ₹10,000 crore was being placed in ATMs every day, compared to ₹6,000-7,000 crore before demonetisation — which suggests that despite the push to go digital, the appetite for cash remains undimmed.

The use of ₹2,000 notes, in particular, is seen to be causing the problem. “Cash withdrawal from ATMs has witnessed continuous escalation post-demonetisation. Daily ATM transaction volume is now at par or greater than the pre-demonetisation period. Amount withdrawn per ATM withdrawal is also on the rise,” said Rituraj Sinha, MD of cash logistics company SIS, adding that the problem was confined to a few regions. The shortage first emerged in Andhra and Telangana — home to some of the country’s biggest contractors, and contractors, it is often said, like cash.

The shortage gradually spread to some other parts of the country with MP CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan acknowledging the problem on Monday. His finance minister Jayant Kumar Malaiya has been quoted as saying that 20% of ATMs in the MP were running dry.

Bihar deputy CM Sushil Modi said the state was facing a cash crunch for six days. “The RBI said there was a shortage of supply of currency notes, due to which the cash crunch occurred. But they have assured us that the problem will be resolved in the next day or two,” he said.

Gujarat deputy CM Nitin Patel, who is also finance minister, acknowledged that banks were facing a cash crunch and said the government was in touch with the RBI to ensure enough cash was supplied to banks.

RBI, however, maintained there was no shortage of cash. “It is clarified... there is sufficient cash in the RBI vaults and currency chests. Nevertheless, printing of the notes has been ramped up in all the four note presses. The shortage may be felt in some pockets largely due to logistical issues of replenishing ATMs frequently and the recalibration of ATMs being still under way...,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.

Economic affairs secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said the printing of ₹500 notes would be stepped up five-fold to around ₹2,500 crore a day to deal with the shortage. “So, in a month, we will be printing about ₹75,000 crore. This should give you assurance we are geared up,” he said.

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