In her statement to the police, the former assistant professor of the Devanga Arts College in Tamil Nadu claims that it was her husband who forced her into multiple relationships with different men.
Chennai:
A copy of Nirmala Devi’s confession reveals a tale of exploitation and immorality. In her statement to the police, the former assistant professor of the Devanga Arts College in Tamil Nadu, who was arrested over accusations of luring students into sex work, claims that it was her husband who forced her into multiple relationships with different men.
She talks about the events that led up to the infamous episode of how she attempted to contact college students for sexual favours:
My husband Saravanan Pandian and I are from Aruppukottai. We got married in 1996, and we have two daughters. In 2003, we lived in East Tambaram and my husband had an affair with a neighbour. This led to a fight between us and I attempted suicide. But I was helpless in the situation. After that, my husband forced me into relationships with several other men, including a relative of mine.
In 2008, my husband got transferred. I returned to Aruppukottai with my kids to live at my in-law’s place. I got a job as assistant professor at Devangar Arts College and my husband got transferred to Saudi Arabia in 2009. Later in 2016, my husband returned from Saudi Arabia and moved to Aruppukottai, where he took up contracts with the municipality. He suffered losses and financial crises. On the personal front, I faced domestic abuse as well.
Meeting with Murugan
Murugan served as guest lecturer in other colleges. I wanted to be a guest lecturer and sought his help. I began speaking to him over phone, regarding this. He kept me updated about the colleges he visited. In 2017, he met me at my place twice and ‘spent time’ with me.
In 2017 November, the Madurai Kamarajar University ran refresher courses, I was asked to contact Murugan who was a professor there. I got in touch with him and met him personally to get a chance to serve as guest lecturer.
In the last week of November 2017, when I was correcting semester exam answer sheets, I got a call from Murugan, asking me to meet him at Aruppukottai. After correcting the papers, I went to Gandhinagar bus stop and met him and took him to my house and we got intimate. That’s when he asked me if my own daughter or any college students would ‘cooperate’ with him. I realised he wanted to spend time with college students. I told him the time was not right.
In the first week February this year, I got a call from the Madurai Kamarajar University (Distance Education) for to evaluate examination answer sheets. In March, I received permission to be part of the course and I communicated the same to Murugan and told him I would meet him. I joined the course on March 9 and during lunch break, I met him at his office.
He once again asked if it was the right time to involve college girls. I told him I had some information regarding a few girls. He then gave me the contact number of one Karuppasamy and told me to get in touch with him for any help. I met him. On March 12, Karuppasamy asked me to come to the office of Distance Education. He introduced me to the Director, but I didn’t know his name.
Murugan and Karuppasamy kept pestering me about college girls and on March 12 midnight, I contacted a third-year student from the Maths Department and told her to pass on the same information to three other students.
- To be continued