College sex scandal: HC sets deadline for completion of trial

The Madras High Court today set a September 10 deadline for the CB-CID to file its final charge sheet in the case of a woman professor who allegedly tried to 'lure' students to extend sexual favours to some varsity officials for marks, and directed the lower court to complete the trial within six months from that date.

Dismissing the bail plea one of the accused, Karuppasamy, Justice G R Swaminathan said students were affected in the case and hence bail could not be granted to him. The judge also made it clear that none of the accused in the case should be granted bail till the completion of the trial.

The judge ordered the CB-CID to file the final chargesheet before September 10 and directed the Virudhunagar court to complete the trial within six months from that date.

The woman, Nirmala Devi was arrested on April 16 after an audio clip in which she purportedly told some girl students "to adjust with some officials" for higher marks and money went viral on the social media.

The assistant professor was working with the Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai, affiliated to the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU).

She was suspended after the scandal came to light.

She, however, has denied a sexual angle to her advice and claimed she had made it "in the right spirit" and not with any hidden motive or agenda.

The CB-CID, which took over the case, implicated Professor Murugan of Madurai Kamaraj University and Karuppasamy, a research student in the case.