Tamil Nadu college 'sex scandal': Let police do its job, I've set up a committee for investigation, says Governor

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Tuesday ruled out his resignation in the wake of a raging controversy over an alleged 'sex scandal' in a college in the state involving an assistant professor.

Nirmala Devi, an assistant professor in Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district has been arrested on the charge of allegedly suggesting to some girl students that they yield themselves to keep the "higher-ups" in the Madurai Kamaraj University happy so that the college gets facilities. She is heard making the demand in an audio clip that went viral on the social media, as per media reports.

In the audio clip, Nirmala Devi is said to be heard saying that she was on the dais moving around at a function in which the Governor was present and she has access to top officials. However, no names were said in that audio clip, IANS reported.

Responding to questions Purohit said, "I attend so many convocation functions. So many people move around dais. I have not seen her (Nirmala Devi`s) face till date. I don`t know that lady at all."

Purohit was at the receiving end with reporters asking a number of questions saying the woman teacher has made repeated references to him and would he resign to stay away from the probe. "My public life has always been transparent. You can also probe it. It is nonsense and rubbish," Purohit said, as per IANS. 

Asked repeatedly about Opposition parties' demand for his resignation, he said, "Let them do their job, I am doing my job."

I've not seen her, she hasn't met me. Let police do its job. VC narrated everything to me & I've set up a committee for investigation: TN Governor, Banwarilal Purohit on woman lecturer arrested in connection with with her alleged advise to students “to adjust with some officials” pic.twitter.com/xMbktIAN7v

— ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2018

Asked why he had ordered a probe when the Vice Chancellor had constituted a five-member committee to go into the issue, Purohit said he was the "supreme authority" in matters relating to colleges and universities in the state and rejected state Higher Education Minister Anbazhagan`s statement that the Governor`s decision was arbitrary.

"On the basis of the report of the one-man committee I will take stringent action. I assure the people of Tamil Nadu that stringent action will be taken so that such incidents don`t recur. Normally, the Chancellor is empowered to constitute a committee," he said.

Purohit further said that the Vice Chancellor had made a mistake in constituting the inquiry and that he had now rectified it. Asked about the time-frame, first, he said it would be within a week, but later amended it to a month or "as early as possible".

Replying to questions about the police investigation in the case, he said let the police do its job but as far as the university is concerned "I have ordered a one-man committee probe that will do its job."

(With IANS inputs)