According to police, Saroj Kumar, a native of Kolkata, pursued MSc at the Indian Institute of Profession, a study centre run by the university in Kolkata. “Though he passed the examination in 2010-2011, the study centre delayed giving his mark statement. 

In reply to an RTI plea filed by the student, the Periyar University replied that his mark statements were withheld as he didn’t pay the examination fees,” police said. Following this, Saroj Kumar came all the way to Salem and received his mark statements after paying the fees. However, he then petitioned DVAC officials and the TN governor on the exam fees scam at the study centres of the university. 

DVAC inquiries revealed that Jayant Mukherjee, who ran the study centre in Kolkata, pocketed about Rs 28 lakh of exam fee meant to be paid to the Periyar University. Police suspect a scam of several crores of rupees by similar study centres of the university between 2008 and 2013. 

Following allegations of corruption and malpractice, about 333 study centres were shut and only 192 are now functional. In a fresh development, DVAC officials registered a case against PRIDE’s ex-director Gunasekaran, controllers of examination P Mathaiyan and Prince Dhanaraj and Jayant Mukherjee on charges including cheating and swindling money.