CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu director general of police T K Rajendran on Tuesday transferred a case registered by the
Aruppukkottai police against
assistant professor Nirmala Devi to the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (
CB-CID). The Aruppukkottai police registered a case against Devi on Monday based on a complaint filed by Devanga Arts College secretary R Ramasamy that she had allegedly tried to lure girls to do sexual favours for top officials in
Madurai Kamaraj University.
On Tuesday, the DGP transferred the case to the CB-CID for detailed investigation, keeping in mind the importance of the case, an official statement said.
Earlier in the day, the Virudhunagar district police questioned Nirmala Devi. A police team led by additional deputy superintendent of police Mathi quizzed her about the telephonic conversation she had with a group of four students on March 15.
The police confiscated her two cellphones and analysed the data in them.
Police sources said although Devi had confessed to them that she had spoken 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 the police.
Probe panel disbanded
Madurai Kamaraj University vice-chancellor P P Chelladurai on Tuesday disbanded a committee he had constituted to conduct a probe into the issue. The committee was disbanded after Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit appointed a high power inquiry committee to conduct a probe.
Students protest
A group of students staged a protest in Madurai Kamaraj University on Tuesday demanding a thorough investigation into the issue. Students led by Students Federation of India members wanted an inquiry by a retired high court judge. They also wanted a mechanism to address the sexual complaints in all the colleges.
Protest by MKU students (TOI photo by K Antony Xavier)
Nirmala Devi