Santhanam selects 2 women professors to assist him in probe

On Thursday, Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU), PP Chellathurai, and Registrar of MKU, V Chinniah, appeared before Santhanam in connection with the case at the Government Circuit House. 

Both were quizzed for nearly three hours and later Chellathurai said he was ready to extend cooperation to the investigation. He also said the commission is expected to visit the university on Saturday and required documents have been already submitted to it. 

Later, Santhanam said he appointed two professors — Kamali, Dean, Research, Mother Teresa University (MTU), and Thyageswari, Head, Department of Soil and Environment, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) — to assist him in the investigation. They would formally be joining him in the investigation at Arupukottai on Friday. The women professors would enquire with students and faculty of the college in Arupukottai. 

Those who want to submit any representation to the commission can do so in the written format. 

When asked how he chose the professors and whether they were recommended by higher officials of the MKU, he said MKU officials had no role in selecting them and that the aim of selecting the professors from the MTU and TNAU was to keep MKU officials away from investigation. 

On whether he would meet Nirmala Devi in prison and would question her, he said he had sought permission from the Prison Department and would question her on Saturday or during the coming week. He also said he planned to meet members of the professors’ association in the college and hear their versions as well. 

The panel would also receive representations from the public on April 21, 25 and 26 at the Circuit House. 

After the audio of Nirmala Devi, allegedly luring the college students to extend favours to ‘higher officials’ went viral she was arrested and the case was shifted to CB-CID.