Governor, VC can't probe criminal cases, only CBI should: PMK leader

PMK leader S. Ramadoss on Tuesday said committees appointed by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit and the Vice Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University P.P. Chellathurai to probe an alleged sexual trafficking complaint were not legally valid.

Ramadoss welcomed the arrest of a female professor who allegedly tried to lure her students to extend sexual favours to top officials of the university in Tamil Nadu.

He said only a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe was justified.

On Monday, Governor Purohit and Chellathurai had ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter by a retired IAS officer, R. Santhanam.

But Chellathurai told reporters in New Delhi on Monday that a five-member committee had been constituted to investigate the case.

"Governor Purohit is only a Chancellor of the University. He does not have the power to govern or probe malpractices in the colleges," Ramadoss said.

He said only the college management has the power to take action against a professor found to be misguiding the students to take a wrong path.

A shadow of suspicion is on all the top officials of the University and hence Chellathurai can face an inquiry committee but cannot set up one, according to the PMK leader.

He said the accused professor's mobile phone call records should be checked to determine others involved.

The woman professor, who taught at a college in Aruppukottai, was at the centre of a storm after audio clips of her talk with some students suggesting that they yield themselves to keep the 'higher-ups' in the Madurai Kamaraj University happy so that the college gets facilities. The clips went viral on the social media.

Police in Virudhunagar district are currently questioning her.

Meanwhile, DMK leader M.K. Stalin told reporters that only a Vice Chancellor of a University can set up an inquiry committee and not the Governor who is the Chancellor.

"It is not known why the Governor as the Chancellor acted in this manner. There seems to be some confusion. Only a High Court monitored CBI probe would bring out the truth," Stalin said.

--IANS

vj/ksk/hs