Sex scandal: Madurai Kamaraj University assistant professor sent to police custody

MADURAI: Madurai Kamaraj University assistant professor V Murugan, who was arrested by the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) in connection with a sex scandal case, was sent to five days police custody on Wednesday.
Murugan of the management studies department in MKU was arrested on Tuesday night and produced before a judicial magistrate court in Sattur. Based on the court order, he was lodged in the Virudhunagar prison, where he spent the night. He was again produced in the court on Wednesday morning. The court remanded him in five days police custody.

Police said Murugan was arrested based on the "confessions" of Aruppukottai Devanga Arts College assistant professor Nirmala Devi. Devi was arrested for allegedly trying to lure a group of girls to offer sexual favours to MKU higher officials.

Devi’s five-day police custody ended on Wednesday, and the judicial magistrate court in Sattur remanded her in 15 days judicial custody.

Panel urged to check the age of girls

A Madurai-based lawyer S Muthukumar has submitted a petition to the R Santhanam commission probing the sex scandal, urging it to check the age of the girls whom Nirmala Devi had lured. “If they are aged below 18 years, a case must be registered under the Pocso Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act),” he said while talking to reporters.

Muthukumar said he had received information that Nirmala Devi had approached a minor girl who studies in Devanga Arts College. He came to know about it three months ago through a lawyer friend, whom the girl’s parents had approached. He did not take it seriously then as there was no written statement from the parents.

Meanwhile, joint director of collegiate education (Madurai) K Koodalingam appeared before the Santhanam commission on Wednesday.