Suspended Madurai Kamaraj University assistant professor V. Murugan and former research scholar of the university S. Karuppasamy, accused in the Nirmala Devi audiotape scandal case, came out of Madurai Central prison on bail on Wednesday after nearly 10 months of imprisonment.
The (CB-CID) booked them along with suspended assistant professor of Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai, Nirmala Devi, in connection with an attempt to lure four college students into doing sexual favours for higher officials of the university in return for high marks and money.
The case came to light after a telephonic conversation between Ms. Nirmala Devi and the students went viral in the social media in April 2018.
College clarifies
Coming out of the jail, Mr. Murugan said he had been falsely implicated in the case and he would face it in the court. Mr. Karuppasamy left the New Jail Road in a huff.
The college authority then had clarified that following an inquiry, Ms. Nirmala Devi had been placed under suspension.
After the Aruppukottai town police booked Ms. Nirmala Devi , the case was subsequently transferred to CB-CID who arrested Mr. Murugan.
Mr. Karuppasamy surrendered before a court in April 2018. After repeated bail pleas by the three accused were dismissed by the lower court, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court said that considering the serious charges against them, the accused should face the trial from behind bars.
Even as the High Court ordered the Fast Track Mahila Court in Srivilliputtur to hear the case expeditiously, Mr. Murugan and Mr. Karuppasamy moved the Supreme Court and got bail last week.
The case assumed significance after the name of the Governor’s office was dragged into the scandal. However, Governor Banwarilal Purohit himself clarified that his office had nothing to do with the scandal.