Sex scandal academic may face CBI

Woman professor allegedly tried to lure students to give sexual favours to top officials

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit yesterday ruled out his resignation in the wake of a sex scandal at a college in the state involving an assistant professor.

The woman academic allegedly tried to lure girls into giving sexual favours to “higher ups” in a leading university, but the governor denied he had anything to do with the case.

He appeared to keep the option of a CBI probe open, saying he would decide on it once the report of the one-man committee headed by a retired senior officer, R. Santhanam, is submitted.

Arrested

Nirmala Devi, an assistant professor in Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district has been arrested on the charge of suggesting to some women students that they yield themselves to keep the “higher-ups” in the Madurai Kamaraj University happy so that the college gets more facilities.

She is heard making the demand in an audio clip that went viral on the social media.

In the audio clip, Nirmala Devi is heard saying that she was on the stage and had been moving around at a function in which the governor was present and she has access to top officials. However, no names were said in that audio clip.

Responding to questions Purohit said: “I attend so many convocation functions. So many people move around dais. I have not seen her [Nirmala Devi’s] face till date. I don’t know that lady at all.”

Purohit, who called a press conference to promise a fair inquiry into the college episode, was at the receiving end with reporters asking why the woman teacher had made repeated references to him.